‘Capable of making our own decisions. No need for third person’: Uddhav Thackeray on alliance with Raj

Uddhav Thackeray’s remarks came in response to questions about whether Raj Thackeray would attend the INDIA bloc meeting or meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his stay in the capital. The comments have added fuel to the ongoing speculation about a Sena UBT-MNS alliance ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

This comes weeks after Uddhav and Raj Thackeray shared a platform – their first in nearly two decades – where both leaders targeted the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra, particularly over issues related to the Marathi language.

While no formal announcement has been made, the possibility of an alliance between the Thackeray cousins has triggered debate about the future composition of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and whether the MNS might be integrated into the broader INDIA alliance.

Uddhav Thackeray also used the occasion to criticise the Narendra Modi government on several fronts. Referring to former US President Donald Trump’s tariff hike on Indian goods, he said, “Trump mocks India and imposes 50 per cent tariffs, yet Prime Minister Modi remains silent. Who is running the country?”

He also questioned Modi’s upcoming visit to China, saying, “After the Galwan clash, there was a campaign to boycott Chinese goods. Now the PM is visiting China – is this for the benefit of his industrialist friends?”

On ties with Pakistan, the Sena UBT chief took aim at continued cricket diplomacy, remarking, “As long as terrorism continues, there should be no relations with Pakistan. Watching cricket in Dubai is not patriotism.” The comment was seen as a veiled dig at ICC chairman Jay Shah, son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Responding to PM Modi’s recent remarks that he is willing to pay a personal price to protect farmers’ interests, Uddhav Thackeray said the statement was opportunistic. “When farmers marched to Delhi, they were labelled Naxals. Some even died. Now, with elections approaching, they are being remembered,” he said.

He also recalled that his father, the late Bal Thackeray, was once stopped from coming to Delhi during a hunger strike. “He was met with barricades, bullets, and was called a Naxal too,” Uddhav Thackeray said. “But now the Centre’s lies are slowly being exposed.”

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc meeting, hosted at Rahul Gandhi’s residence, is expected to focus on key poll issues, coordination for upcoming elections, and the Vice Presidential race.