Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, accompanied by his mother and family members, visited Matoshree – the residence of Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray – on Saturday afternoon, describing it as a “family lunch”. “It’s a family meeting. My mother is with me,” Raj Thackeray told reporters while entering Matoshree. The increasing closeness between the cousins has been evident since July. On July 5, they appeared together at a rally opposing “Hindi imposition,” sharing a platform after nearly two decades. Saturday’s visit marks the sixth meeting between the two cousins in recent months, underlining their increasing proximity at both personal and political levels ahead of the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections expected later this year. Earlier, Raj Thackeray had gone to Matoshree on Uddhav Thackeray’s birthday in July. Uddhav Thackeray, too, had visited Raj Thackeray’s Shivteerth residence in Dadar along with his family in August for Ganpati darshan. The growing frequency of these meetings has rekindled speculations about a possible Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance for the upcoming civic polls, a move that could potentially consolidate Marathi votes across Mumbai, Thane and other parts of the state. Amid talks of an alliance between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS, the two parties would be holding a joint protest on October 13 against alleged mismanagement and corruption in the Thane Municipal Corporation. Thane is a stronghold of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar, a close aide of Raj Thackeray, said the renewed warmth between the families was an emotional moment for party workers and Thackeray supporters across Maharashtra. “We are happy that the two brothers and their families are coming closer and meeting frequently. This is really heartening to see. They are the vaaras (heirs) of Prabodhankar Thackeray, and not just us, but every Maharashtrian who loves the Thackeray family feels happy today. I think the time all of us were waiting for has come – the bitterness of nearly one and a half decades seems over now,” Nandgaonkar said. Responding to criticism from the BJP and Shinde Sena leaders that the “Thackeray brand” has faded, Nandgaonkar said, “The Thackeray brand has always been strong and will always remain strong.” Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir also welcomed the development, saying, “The much-needed things are happening now.” Last month, Uddhav Thackeray, accompanied by MP Sanjay Raut, had visited Raj Thackeray’s residence for a two-and-a-half-hour closed-door meeting with Nandgaonkar. While Raut described it as a “family visit,” sources from both sides confirmed that seat-sharing talks for the 227-member BMC and nearby municipal bodies were discussed. The MNS is believed to be seeking around 90-95 seats in Mumbai, with discussions expected to continue in the coming weeks. With the BMC – India’s richest civic body with a budget exceeding Rs 90,000 crore – headed for polls, a Raj Thackeray-Uddhav Thackeray alliance could pose a challenge to the ruling Mahayuti alliance led by the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Sena faction. Saturday’s meeting further signals that what began as family courtesy is now slowly evolving into political coordination, reviving the once-fractured Thackeray legacy in Maharashtra politics.
