‘Uddhav Ji can consider’: Did Fadnavis invite Shiv Sena (UBT) chief back to NDA camp?

Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday seemingly invited former ally and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray to join the ruling Mahayuti alliance. In a light-hearted moment, Fadnavis said that while there isn’t any scope for them to join the opposition, Uddhav Thackeray could consider joining the ruling alliance.

Speaking in the Maharashtra Assembly, Fadnavis said, “At least till 2029, there is no scope for us to come there (opposition). Uddhav Ji can think about the scope of coming to this side (ruling party) and that can be thought about in a different way, but there is absolutely no scope left for us to come there (opposition).”

His comments came days after the Thackeray cousins – Raj Thackeray of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena (UBT) – shared the political stage after two decades to celebrate the BJP-led Maharashtra government's rollback of two controversial orders that had introduced Hindi as a third language from Class 1 in state schools.

Their coming together after 20 years rekindled hopes of reunification among the cadre of their respective parties, especially keeping in mind the upcoming local body polls.

Earlier today, Raj Thackeray denied making any remarks on forging an alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, and claimed that the words that he did not utter were wrongly attributed to him in a section of media.

In a post on X, Thackeray said if he wants to make any political statement, he will do so by holding a press conference.

He said the party organised a conclave for selected office-bearers at Igatpuri in Nashik on July 14 and 15, where he held an informal interaction with journalists.

"When there was an informal chat with journalists, I was asked about the July 5 victory celebration rally in Mumbai. I said the event was to celebrate the victory of Marathi manoos and that it was not political. Then they (the journalists) asked what about the alliance (with the Shiv Sena-UBT). To this I responded, saying - Should I discuss the alliance matters with you now?" Thackeray said.

"Words, which I did not utter, were put in my mouth, claiming that the decision on the alliance would be taken after assessing the situation before the municipal elections," he said, adding that informal talks should remain informal in nature.

During the July 5 rally of the two cousins, Uddhav Thackeray said, "We have come together to stay together. We will together capture power in the Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra."

After he quit Shiv Sena in 2005 over apparent differences with his cousin, Raj Thackeray formed the MNS and has been projecting it as the true champion of the cause of the sons-of-the-soil.

The parties, led by the cousins, had since contested elections against each other notwithstanding the intermittent calls for reunion raised by certain quarters.