A day after Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray met twice on Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the personal and political bond between the Thackeray cousins have grown stronger than ever and that the talks between them “have gone too far to be broken now”. Raut said the second meeting, held at Uddhav’s residence ‘Matoshree’, was political in nature and that the two sides have reached an advanced stage in discussions for a possible alliance ahead of the upcoming municipal elections. “Whatever anyone says, the dialogue and relationship between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have become very strong. Even if someone tries their hardest to break it, the talks have progressed much further. There is no turning back now,” Raut told reporters. “No matter who says what at their rallies, these two brothers are determined to stand shoulder to shoulder,” he added. Raut said both leaders had first come together at a family event before proceeding to Matoshree for political discussions. “There are 27 municipal corporations in Maharashtra. This is not a simple game, every seat, every panel, every city needs careful discussion. Local leaders from both parties are already holding talks, and in many places, discussions have reached their final stage,” he said. According to him, both sides have reached a broad understanding over key civic bodies such as Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pune and Nashik. Asserting that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) remains intact, Raut said that while the alliance’s structure was formed for the Assembly polls, a separate formula is being considered for local elections. “The MVA has not broken. Its role and importance remain. But civic elections are different. In some places, the Sena and MNS may fight together; in others, the MVA partners may be involved. Each region has its own political reality,” he said. Political observers said a Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance is likely in Mumbai and Thane, while the MVA may continue in Nashik, Vidarbha and other regions. Taking a swipe at the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Raut declared that Mumbai’s next mayor will be “a Marathi person with saffron blood”. “The mayor of Mumbai will not be someone who follows Delhi’s (BJP-led Centre) orders,” he said. “The mayor will be one who stands at Hutatma Chowk and roars for Maharashtra. The Sena and MNS are not just political organisations—they are born of Marathi pride, of heart and mind.” He further hinted that the mayor could be from the Thackeray fold, adding, “When I say ‘our mayor’, I mean the Thackeray brothers. This alliance is special—it is both emotional and political.” Raut reiterated that the process of alliance-building is being handled locally rather than from the top. “Some cities have a strong Sena presence, some have MNS, some have Congress or NCP. Every region has its own equation. Local leaders are finalising discussions, and we will take decisions together,” he said. Meanwhile, NCP (Sharad Pawar) state president Shashikant Shinde said that discussions within the MVA should begin soon. “Raut should initiate talks through the alliance. There should be no delay. We will cooperate and take decisions based on local situations,” Shinde said.
