Talking to reporters, Eknath Shinde took a veiled dig at Uddhav, saying that while he comes to Raj Thackeray's residence every year some new people were seen there this time
Eknath Shinde on Thursday evening visited Raj Thackeray's residence. Pic/Eknath Shinde's office
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday visited MNS president Raj Thackeray's residence in Dadar area of central Mumbai on the occasion of Ganesh festival 2025, a day after his arch rival and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray paid a visit to his cousin, reported the PTI.
Talking to reporters, Eknath Shinde took a veiled dig at Uddhav, saying that while he comes to Raj Thackeray's residence every year some new people were seen there this time.
He said no political inference should be drawn from his visit to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief's residence.
"Everything need not be told publicly. Let secrets be secrets," he said, as per the PTI.
When asked about Uddhav's visit to Raj's residence, Shinde said, "It is good. Insignificant people are taking note."
"Everyone should feel good when a family comes together. We extend best wishes to everyone," the deputy CM said, according to the PTI.
Uddhav visited Raj's residence on Wednesday on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, in another sign of growing bonhomie between them.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray and his mother Rashmi accompanied Uddhav during the visit, which comes nearly two months after the long estranged cousins shared a stage in Mumbai after several years.
Uddhav's visit to Raj Thackeray's home, though on the occasion of Maharashtra's most popular festival, sent yet another clear signal of rapprochement between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS ahead of polls to local bodies, including the cash-rich Mumbai civic corporation.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) later posted on social media site X, the photos of the extended Thackeray family coming together on Ganesh Chaturthi.
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray are paternal as well as maternal cousins --- their mothers were sisters.
One of the striking photographs was Raj and Uddhav Thackeray posing behind a portrait of their grandfather Keshav, and their father Shrikant and Bal Thackeray, respectively.
The photo sought to send a message that the Thackerays were together despite the two cousins charting their own political course since two decades now.
This was at least the third publicly known interaction between the once estranged cousins.
Later, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a BJP leader and political rival of Uddhav Thackeray, also separately visited Raj Thackeray's residence to offer prayers to Lord Ganesh.
The MNS leader hosts Lord Ganesh at his residence, 'Shivtirth', located in the city's Dadar area, every year.
(with PTI inputs)
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