Raj Thackeray visits Matoshree after six years to wish Uddhav Thackeray on 65th birthday

MNS chief Raj Thackeray meets cousin and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on his 65th birthday, at Matoshree, Bandra East, on Sunday. Pic/By Special Arrangement

After a gap of six years, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray visited Matoshree, the Bandra residence of the Thackeray family, on Sunday to wish his cousin and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on his 65th birthday. Raj's last visit to Matoshree was in 2019, when he had gone to invite Uddhav and his family for the wedding of his son, Amit Thackeray.

This time, Raj arrived with a large bouquet of red roses for Uddhav and also bowed before the chair once used by his late uncle and Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray. According to those present, the two cousins spent around 20 minutes together in a closed-door meeting. However, what really grabbed attention was Raj's social media post on X later in the day, in which he referred to Uddhav as the "Shiv Sena chief", without mentioning the UBT faction. "On the occasion of my elder brother, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's birthday, I visited the residence of late Balasaheb Thackeray to extend my greetings," Raj wrote.

His choice of words, specifically referring to Uddhav as the Shiv Sena chief, has sparked speculation. Political observers believe this could be a subtle dig at the Eknath Shinde faction, which also claims to be the rightful heir to Balasaheb's legacy and the original Shiv Sena's Hindutva-Marathi ideology. As Raj got down from his vehicle at Matoshree, several supporters raised slogans welcoming the reunion of the Thackeray cousins.

With speculation rife about a potential alliance between the Thackerays for the upcoming elections, the visit has stirred political chatter. Responding to the development, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said there was "nothing wrong" with a cousin visiting another on his birthday. Asked whether such a reunion would impact upcoming elections, Fadnavis remarked, "Earlier elections have shown that people voted for the BJP and its agenda of development. Even now, the results of the local body polls will reflect what the people of Maharashtra truly want."