Referring to the Raj Thackeray-Uddhav Thackeray reunion, a UBT Sena leader said the bond between the two cousins was “stronger than that of Fevicol”. After 20 years of political rivalry, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and his cousin Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray reunited at a joint rally on Saturday in Mumbai, a moment lauded by both parties.
Kishori Pednekar, an Uddhav Sena leader, described the bond as “stronger than that of Fevicol”, and said, “Both of them have kept forward the things that the people of Maharashtra wanted to say.” Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also welcomed the show of unity after so many years, saying, We have witnessed a historic moment”. Quoting Raj Thackeray’s remarks from the rally, Chaturvedi also said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis did what Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray could not.
“This shows that they will stay united. Both of them have come together after 20 years. The excitement of people shows that they wanted both of them to come together,” Chaturvedi said. At the victory rally, MNS leader Amit Thackeray, who is also Raj Thackeray’s son, was seen sharing a hug with Uddhav Sena leader and Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya on the stage. As the two cousins came together, Uddhav in his speech after Raj said, “When it comes to the question of language, Raj, I and everyone else here is united.”
Uddhav Sena leader Anand Dubey also heaped praise on the victory rally. He said, “Both the brothers have shown that they are descendants of Balasaheb Thackeray and they are the ones who are taking forward his ideas… This will impact the upcoming elections. MNS and Shiv Sena UBT have the same DNA.” Apart from MNS and Uddhav Sena leaders, the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) party also supported the reunion. Party leader Supriya Sule was also seen at the victory rally in the audience. Reacting to the rally, NCP-SCP leader Jitendra Awhad said, “We have witnessed a historic moment here today.”
Raj Thackeray had left his uncle’s Balasaheb Thackeray’s party Shiv Sena in 2006 citing he was “sidelined”. He floated his own party MNS later on, following which him and Uddhav remained political rivals for 20 years. However, both parties have now joined hands against the Maharashtra government’s “Hindi imposition” in the state, and welcomed the rollback of the three-language policy in primary schools, announced in April this year.
