Following the funeral of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Sunday, MiD DAY spoke to Chandrakant Vaidya, known fondly as ‘Chandumama’ in the Thackeray household. Vaidya (66) is the brother-in-law of late Bal Thackeray and the maternal uncle of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray. He is the brother of Uddhav’s mother Meenatai as well as Raj’s mother Kundatai and has known Thackeray since his childhood.

A brother's promise: Chandrakant Vaidya (circled), known as ‘Chandumama’, vowed to reunite Raj and Uddhav Thackeray as a tribute to the late Sena chief. Pic /Satyajit Desai