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Raj Thackeray founded the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in 2006 after leaving Shiv Sena due to differences with Uddhav Thackeray.
Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray have expressed willingness for a political reunion. (PTI/File)
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday indicated their willingness to unite for the interest of Maharashtra and Marathi people by keeping aside the differences between them.
In a candid interview with actor Mahesh Manjrekar, Raj Thackeray spoke on a range of topics, including Marathi identity, the upcoming Mumbai municipal elections, Eknath Shinde’s politics and a possible alliance with Uddhav Thackeray.
“The disputes and disagreements between us are minor, compared to greater causes. Maharashtra is far bigger than our personal issues. These matters are trivial in the fight for the existence of the Marathi identity. Coming together or working together isn’t a difficult thing—it’s only a matter of will. And it’s not just about me. I believe all Marathi people across political parties should unite and form a single front,” Raj Thackeray was quoted as saying by Loksatta.
The MNS Chief said that when he worked in Shiv Sena, he had no objections to working alongside Uddhav Thackeray, who now leads a divided faction of the Shiv Sena following a split engineered by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in 2022. He said the ball was in Uddhav’s court on whether he wanted an alliance, saying, “I don’t bring my ego into such small matters”.
“For me, the interest of Maharashtra is bigger and everything else is secondary before it. For that, I can set aside minor disputes, and I’m ready to work with Uddhav. Only question is if he too is ready for it,” further said Raj.
‘Willing To Set Aside Differences’: Uddhav Thackeray
Responding to Raj Thackeray’s message of unity, Uddhav Thackeray also said that he was ready to set aside minor differences for the sake of Maharashtra and stressed that he had put an end to all fights between the cousins. However, he demanded clarity on whether the alliance should be focused on Maharashtra’s welfare or to fulfill the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) interests.
“For the sake of Maharashtra and the Marathi people, I’m willing to set aside minor differences. I’m appealing to all Marathi people to come together in the interest of Marathi identity,” Uddhav said at a workers’ event in Dadar. “But during the Lok Sabha elections, when we were opposing the BJP on various issues, had they (Raj Thackeray and his party) opposed the BJP at that time, their government would not have come to power at the Centre.”
“You can’t extend support one day and oppose the next. You can’t compromise when convenient. Whoever stands in the way of Maharashtra’s welfare—I won’t show them any hospitality. I won’t invite them to my home. I won’t sit alongside them,” he added.
Responding to Raj Thackeray’s remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that while the MNS chief has expressed his willingness to put Maharashtra above his ego, Uddhav Thackeray has also stated that he is ready to set aside all differences for the sake of the state. “He just does not want to share a table with the enemies of Maharashtra… We will accept him,” Raut said.
MNS-Shiv Sena History
Raj Thackeray founded the MNS in 2006 after he left the Shiv Sena party due to differences with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, as he felt sidelined by the party. For the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Raj Thackeray offered his unconditional support to the state’s ruling Mahayuti alliance and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The MNS contested 135 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, which yielded a resounding victory for the Mahayuti alliance. The BJP secured 132 of the 288 seats, followed by Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) with 57 and NCP with 41. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was decimated, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning 20 seats, Congress 16, and NCP-SP 10.
Despite failing to win any seats, Raj Thackeray’s party has emerged as a significant player in Maharashtra’s political scenario, capable of forming new power dynamics. In February, both Raj and Uddhav were seen sharing a candid moment at a wedding function in Mumbai, which ignited speculation over a possible reconciliation.
