Uddhav, Raj Thackeray reunite after two decades, vow to fight against Hindi imposition

Marking a significant political development, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray appeared together at a joint rally in Worli on Saturday, pledging unity to uphold Marathi identity and resist the “imposition” of Hindi.

Addressing "victory rally", was organised to celebrate the Maharashtra government’s decision to withdraw its controversial resolutions on the Hindi language.

The cousins, addressing the public together for the first time in 20 years, hinted at joining forces for the upcoming civic elections. “We have come together to stay together. We will together capture power in the Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra,” Uddhav declared, drawing roaring applause from the packed NSCI Dome.

Elections to Mumbai’s civic body, regarded as the Sena’s bastion, and other local bodies are expected in the near future. The potential alliance could mark a turning point for both parties, which have been struggling to regain ground following setbacks in the last Assembly elections.

Before Uddhav took the mic, Raj, seated alone on stage, remarked, “Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has managed to do what Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and others couldn’t by bringing the two cousins together.”

Raj parted ways with Shiv Sena in 2005, forming the MNS over alleged disagreements with Uddhav. Since then, both parties have contested elections against one another, despite occasional calls for reconciliation.

The rise of the BJP in Maharashtra, its alliance with Eknath Shinde’s faction post the 2022 Shiv Sena split, and a joint front with NCP have reignited the push for a Thackeray reunion. The state’s inconsistent stance on the three-language policy — particularly the inclusion of Hindi — became a unifying issue for the estranged cousins.

On Saturday, the usually bitter political rivalry appeared to be replaced with camaraderie on stage. The image of Raj and Uddhav together has energised their respective cadres and may inject fresh momentum into both parties, especially the MNS, which failed to win any seats in the last Assembly polls. Sena (UBT) had secured 20 seats, while Shinde’s faction bagged 57.

Only the two Thackerays were seen on stage, a symbolic gesture recalling Balasaheb Thackeray’s towering influence and the shared emotional bond with the Marathi-speaking population. Raj launched a scathing attack on the government’s language policy, calling it a veiled attempt to alienate Mumbai from Maharashtra. He noted that the mere announcement of their protest had forced the state to scrap the Hindi Grs.

“The BJP's ploy is to divide and rule,” he warned, predicting that caste would be the next dividing tool in the state’s politics. Responding to critics who question his son Amit's convent background, Raj said, “Many politicians and film stars in South India studied in English schools but are proud of Tamil and Telugu languages.”

He defended his position by referring to their late uncle: “Balasaheb Thackeray had studied in an English school, worked in an English newspaper, but he never compromised on the status of Marathi.”

“Even BJP patriarch L K Advani studied in a convent school, so should his Hindutva be questioned?” he asked.

Uddhav also criticised the government's push for Hindi. “No one should cast an evil eye on Marathi and Maharashtra,” he said. He stressed the importance of unity among Marathi people: “Our strength should be in our unity. Whenever there is a crisis we come together and after that, we again start fighting amongst ourselves.”

Accusing the BJP of trying to divide not just communities but the Maharashtrian identity itself, he said, “The BJP's ‘batenge toh katenge’ slogan coined during the assembly polls was meant to divide Hindus and Muslims,” but added that it was being used to split Maharashtrians.

He didn’t hold back in criticising Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde either, calling him a puppet of Delhi. “Marathi manoos fought amongst themselves and slaves of Delhi started ruling us,” he said. Uddhav also took a swipe at Shinde for chanting ‘Jai Gujarat’ in front of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, labelling it an act of desperation.

Though other leaders like NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule were present, it was Raj and Uddhav who held the spotlight and addressed the crowd. For the first time, their sons, Aaditya and Amit Thackeray, posed together with arms on each other’s shoulders and later stood beside their fathers for the national anthem. Outside the venue, the atmosphere was electric. A massive crowd of MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) supporters paraded to the dome, waving flags and chanting slogans.

To ensure the event reached a wider audience, both parties had set up large LED screens across Mumbai and the MMR region. In Worli, the stronghold of Aaditya Thackeray, large hoardings bearing images of the Thackeray cousins dominated the skyline. Party leaders had also put up banners appealing to Raj and Uddhav to remain united for the cause of the Marathi manoos.
(With PTI Inputs)