We have come together to stay together: Uddhav at joint rally with Raj Thackeray

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday, July 5, said he and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) head Raj Thackeray have come together to stay united as the cousins shared a political stage for the first time after two decades on the issue of Marathi identity and “imposition” of the Hindi language.

Addressing a “victory” rally in Worli here to celebrate the rollback of the Hindi language GRs (resolutions) by the BJP-led government, Uddhav hinted at contesting the upcoming civic elections together.

“We have come together to stay together. We will together capture power in the Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra,” he said, evoking loud cheers from the crowd in the packed NSCI Dome.

VIDEO | Mumbai, Maharashtra: After two decades, the estranged Thackeray cousins -- Uddhav and Raj -- share public stage as they jointly hold a "mega victory gathering" to celebrate the Maharashtra government's roll back of the three-language policy in primary schools.… pic.twitter.com/vrPgQu7ltB

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 5, 2025

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The elections to the high-profile civic body in Mumbai, which Sena considers its citadel and home ground, and other municipal corporations are due in the coming months.

Speaking ahead of Uddhav, the only person seated on the stage, Raj quipped that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has managed to do what Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and others couldn’t by bringing the two cousins together.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray during a joint victory rally titled ‘Awaj Marathicha’ in Mumbai on Saturday. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)

After he quit Shiv Sena in 2005 over apparent differences with his cousin, Raj Thackeray formed the MNS and has been projecting it as the true champion of the cause of the sons-of-the-soil.

The parties, led by the cousins, had since contested elections against each other, notwithstanding the intermittent calls for reunion raised by certain quarters.

As the BJP expanded its footprint on the political landscape of Maharashtra and joined hands with Eknath Shinde, who split Shiv Sena in 2022, and NCP, the chorus for the reunion of the Thackeray brothers grew shriller over the last four months.

The state government’s flip-flop on the three-language policy and the introduction of Hindi as a third language provided a much-needed common cause.

On Saturday, the political rancour seems dissipated, at least on the face of it, into the bonhomie at the event.

The coming together of the estranged cousins-turned-comrades has not only enthused cadres of both parties, but it could also give a lifeline to both parties, which are struggling to regain their footing after drubbings in the assembly polls last year.

The Sena (UBT) had won 20 seats in the polls while the Sena led by Eknath Shinde bagged 57. The MNS drew a blank.

Conscious of Bal Thackeray’s charisma and its emotional connect with the common Marathi people, the symbolism at the rally was evident, with only Uddhav and Raj occupying the stage.

Opening the speech, the MNS president said the three-language formula imposed by the state government was a precursor to its plan to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra.

He said the government had to withdraw the controversial GRs merely at the thought of the proposed protest march- which was cancelled and the victory rally was held.

Raj said that, after the language row, the government’s next move in politics will be to divide people on caste.

“The BJP’s ploy is to divide and rule”, he added.

Thackeray cousins laugh at ‘convent education’ jibe

Rejecting the opposition’s “convent education” jibe at his son, Raj said many politicians and film stars in South India studied in English schools but are proud of Tamil and Telugu languages.

The Opposition has often targeted Raj and Uddhav over the convent schooling of their sons- Amit and Aaditya, respectively.

“Balasaheb Thackeray had studied in an English school, worked in an English newspaper, but he never compromised on the status of Marathi,” Raj Thackeray said.

He said even BJP patriarch L K Advani studied in a convent school, so should his Hindutva be questioned.

Uddhav said they won’t let the government impose Hindi on the people.

No one should cast an evil eye on Marathi and Maharashtra, he added. He said the BJP’s “batenge toh katenge” (divided we fall) slogan, coined during the assembly polls, was meant to divide Hindus and Muslims. However, in reality, the BJP used it to divide Maharashtrians, he claimed and dubbed the BJP “traders in politics”.

“Marathi manoos (people) fought amongst themselves and slaves of Delhi started ruling us,” he said in a dig at Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

He also slammed Shinde for raising ‘Jai Gujarat’ slogan at an event attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and called it an act of desperation.

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Although NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule and other leaders attended the event, only Raj and Uddhav occupied the stage and addressed the gathering.

Outside the venue, the mood was electrifying. Thousands of MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers marched enthusiastically to the venue of the joint rally, holding flags and raising slogans.

Do bhaiyon ke sath aane par sabse zyada khush behen hoti hai!#SupriyaSule 🥰 pic.twitter.com/6aewiPBsAC

— Vini Kohli (@vinikkohli) July 5, 2025

Amid a heavy rush, hundreds of workers forced their way inside the NSCI Dome campus in Worli to listen to the Thackeray brothers.

Both parties had pulled out all the stops to put up a strong show of strength. LED screens were installed in various areas of Mumbai and MMR.

‘Desperate bid’: BJP

BJP leaders in Maharashtra said Uddhav and Raj Thackeray’s joint rally was a “desperate attempt” to revive their political fortunes and recover lost ground ahead of civic polls, adding the event was more like a “family reunion.”

State minister Ashish Shelar and BJP MLC Pravin Darekar described the Worli event as a desperate attempt by the Sena (UBT) to recover its lost political ground.

“This was not a rally for the love of language but public appeasement of a brother once thrown out of the house. They remembered their brotherhood due to the fear of BJP’s strength in the civic polls,” he said.

The Thackerays were trying to reclaim control over the BMC in order to resume their misrule in the city, he added.

The event was more of a family reunion than a protest over language issue, Shelar said, adding Uddhav Thackeray’s handshake with Raj Thackeray was only meant to salvage the political ground they have already lost.

The senior BJP leader claimed the former CM’s real agenda was not ‘M’ for Marathi, but ‘M’ for Municipal Corporation.

“When in power in Mumbai, he sidelined Marathi-speaking people. Now, he is putting up a show of love for Marathi just to regain power. His love for Marathi is political drama that surfaces only when elections approach. People have now seen through this duplicity,” he asserted.

Thackeray cousins claiming credit: Congress

Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan stated that the introduction of Hindi as a third language from class 1 evoked statewide opposition. “It’s fine if Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray claim credit for the withdrawal of the GRs. If they come together politically, our best wishes,” Chavan told PTI.

Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj, who head Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS respectively, hosted a joint “victory” rally to celebrate the rollback of two GRs on the introduction of Hindi as a third language from class 1.

“If the Thackerays want to celebrate the withdrawal of GRs, it’s good,” state Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said.

He asserted that celebrating the withdrawal of Hindi language GRs and a potential political alliance between the two cousins are two separate issues.

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