Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray has joined the growing chorus of leaders supporting the reunion of his father, party president Uddhav Thackeray, and his uncle, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.
Speculation over a political reunion of the Thackeray cousins after nearly two decades has been fueled by recent public statements from both leaders ahead of local body polls later this year, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
While addressing the media in his constituency, Worli, on Wednesday, Aaditya Thackeray was asked for his opinion on the matter. He said, “We have made our stand clear. We are ready to work together with anyone who is ready to come forward to fight for protecting the interests of Maharashtra.”
Thackeray pointed to the joint protest held by workers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS last week against an incomplete bridge in Kalyan-Dombivli as an example of his party’s readiness to work with the MNS. “We know what people want and our intentions are clear,” he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Prabhu also chimed in on the matter while speaking in Kolhapur on Wednesday. “All Marathi people in Maharashtra want to see Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray working together,” he said.
Earlier, senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders such as Sanjay Raut and Anil Parab have also spoken in favour of the two cousins coming together. However, MNS leaders have avoided commenting on the matter and said that only Raj Thackeray will speak about it.
It was Raj who first indicated that he was open to reuniting with his cousin. In a podcast with filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar in April, he suggested that past differences with Uddhav were “trivial” and expressed openness to reuniting for the Marathi people. Uddhav reciprocated immediately, stating he was willing to set aside “petty squabbles” for Maharashtra’s interests.
After his initial remarks, Raj has maintained silence on the matter. In a meeting of his party colleagues last month, he told them that he would take a decision at the right time and told them not to make any public comments on it till then.
Raj left the undivided Shiv Sena in 2006 to form the MNS due to disagreements over leadership and ideology, particularly because Uddhav was groomed as party founder Bal Thackeray’s successor.