Uddhav and Raj Thackeray Seal Reunion Ahead of BMC Polls, Vow to Stay United
After 20 years apart, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray reunite ahead of BMC polls, aiming to consolidate the Marathi vote and challenge the ruling Mahayuti alliance
New Delhi, Dec 24 : More than two decades after their political split, Maharashtra’s prominent Thackeray brothers Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have formally reunited, announcing an alliance for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. The two leaders shared the stage at a joint press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday, signalling a major realignment in the state’s civic politics.
“We have come together to stay together,” Uddhav Thackeray said, addressing the media alongside Raj Thackeray. The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief urged those dissatisfied with the BJP to join hands with the newly forged Shiv Sena (UBT) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance.
Before the announcement, the two leaders paid tributes to Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray at his memorial in Shivaji Park and then travelled together to the press conference venue, underlining the symbolic significance of their reunion. The alliance will contest not only the BMC polls but also elections to several other civic bodies across Maharashtra.
Elections to 29 municipal corporations in the state are scheduled for January 15, with results to be declared on January 16. Political observers see the Thackeray reunion as a strategic move to consolidate the Marathi vote bank and pose a strong challenge to the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).
Uddhav Thackeray is the son of Balasaheb Thackeray, who dominated Maharashtra politics until his death in 2012, while Raj Thackeray is the late leader’s nephew. Their coming together has generated considerable excitement among party workers and supporters.
Calling it a “historic moment”, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the alliance was the need of the hour and would lead to a historic victory. Senior party leader Sanjay Raut described the reunion as a “Manomilan” (union of hearts), adding that cadres of both parties have welcomed the alliance.
Raut noted that the foundation for the reunion was laid in July, when the two leaders jointly opposed the state government’s move to introduce Hindi from Grade One in schools across Maharashtra. He said only seat-sharing discussions remain, with clear instructions already issued to party workers.
Reacting to the development, Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule downplayed its political impact, asserting that the reunion would not affect the state’s political landscape and that voters would prioritise development under the BJP-led government.
