After years of division, the Thackeray cousins’ consistent meetings and family gestures are being viewed as a prelude to a possible Sena-MNS merger before the 2026 polls
Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray. Pic/By Special Arrangement
Amid buzz over a possible alliance, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday visited the residence of his cousin and MNS president Raj Thackeray in their fourth meeting this month.
A Sena (UBT) functionary said Uddhav visited 'Shivtirth' to greet his aunt and Raj's mother Kunda Thackeray on her birthday.
This was the eighth interaction between the Thackeray cousins, once bitter rivals, since they came together in July to oppose the Maharashtra government's decision to introduce Hindi as a third language in primary schools.
The two cousins and their families had met last week on the occasion of the 'Deepotsav' event organised by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena at Shivaji Park.
Raj Thackeray, younger of the two, quit the undivided Shiv Sena in 2005, blaming Uddhav for his exit, and floated the MNS.
However, following the drubbing their parties received in the Maharashtra assembly polls in 2024 , both leaders decided to put behind the acrimony and find a common ground for survival.
The coming together of the two parties ahead of the rural and urban body polls in Maharashtra, which are to be held before January 31, 2026, is a mere formality now, Sena as well as MNS leaders have claimed.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
