As Uddhav holds out hope for alliance with MNS, why Raj Thackeray is maintaining radio silence
A week after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray held a quiet, closed-door meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on June 12 that raised questions about the possibility of an alliance between the two, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has yet again signalled his eagerness to join hands with his cousin.
The MNS chief, who initially signalled that he was open to an alliance with the Sena (UBT), however, has remained quiet, and his party leaders have also been dismissive about the prospects of a tie-up.
While reiterating that he will do what is 'in the minds of the people of Maharashtra and the Sena cadre', Uddhav said Thursday, 'We are capable of resolving the issues between us, others need not worry about it.'
Referring to the meeting between his cousin and the CM, Uddhav accused the BJP of attempting to 'thwart the reunion of the two brothers' since it knows the possible 'repercussions' of such an alliance for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls.
Over the past two months, since Raj sent the first signal of rapprochement to Uddhav on April 19, several Sena (UBT) leaders, including the party chief, his son Aaditya, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, have consistently expressed their willingness to ally with the MNS.
Projecting it as a coming together of the 'Marathi manoos' for the larger good of the state, Sena (UBT) leveraged speeches, posters, and its mouthpiece Saamana to build public momentum for reconciliation.
The theme has been clear: identity, legacy, and the Marathi cause.
On June 6, Uddhav himself hinted at positive talks for an alliance. 'There is no confusion in my mind or in the minds of my party workers. Even MNS workers are in touch with us,' he said. 'What is in the hearts of the people of Maharashtra – that will happen.'
The next day, the Sena (UBT)'s mouthpiece too published an archived photo of the two cousins on its front page – a rare symbolic move not seen in the past 20 years.
Posters put up in Mumbai, Thane and other parts of the state called for a united Thackeray front 'to save the Marathi manoos from outsiders.'
The Sena (UBT) poured symbolism and sentiment into its campaign, reviving old photos, invoking Marathi unity, and publicly expressing a willingness to sacrifice ego for the state.
But the response from the MNS leadership in the past two months has remained cautious, and sometimes even dismissive. Raj has mostly remained behind the scenes, holding internal meetings and saying little directly to the media. He has not even commented publicly since his April 19 appearance on a podcast with filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar, where he said, 'The interest of Maharashtra is bigger than personal disagreements.'
This was immediately followed up by Uddhav who, without naming his cousin, said, 'If necessary, we are ready to come together for Maharashtra, for Marathi people and the Marathi language.'
What followed was a string of coordinated messaging from the Sena (UBT) leadership and workers urging the two brothers to come together, including by Raut who said on April 22 that Uddhav was 'very positive' on the idea of a tie-up. Even Aaditya Thackeray echoed this approach, stating multiple times throughout May that anyone with 'clean intentions' for Maharashtra and opposing 'anti-Maharashtra BJP' forces was welcome.
Behind the Sena (UBT)'s constant outreach is its desire to prevent a fragmentation of the Marathi vote, now split three ways among Sena (UBT), Deputy CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and MNS, with the BJP well-positioned to gain from this in the elections for the BMC, historically considered a Sena bastion.
A united Thackeray front could have consolidated the Marathi voter across at least 10 major urban bodies. Now, the BJP-Shinde combine enters the contest facing a divided Opposition, with the MNS likely to be either a tactical ally or a disruptive wildcard.
The MNS, however, has maintained distance, often dismissing the idea of an alliance, immediately after Raj's statement.
On April 20, MNS leader and Mumbai party chief Sandeep Deshpande clarified that issue-based unity differs from electoral tie-ups, saying, 'Marathis can also come together for issues of interest to Maharashtra' and that alliance for elections is a 'narrow-minded idea'. The message was clear: unity on issues, not necessarily seats and polls. Three days later, he said the Sena (UBT) would have to make a formal proposal if it wanted an alliance. Past overtures by the MNS were met with 'betrayal', he added.
Raj's son Amit Thackeray said on June 5 that in 2014, 2017, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, his father had made the first move by calling Uddhav, but there was no response.
The following day, despite Uddhav's positive statements on an alliance that same day, MNS leaders Deshpande and Thane district party chief Avinash Jadhav firmly denied receiving any formal proposal. 'Alliances don't happen before cameras; decisions follow offers… There was no positive response from (Uddhav's) end in the past. So this time, we will be cautious. Sanjay Raut should ask Uddhav to directly call Raj – he will get a positive response,' the leaders said.
On Friday, Deshpande pushed back further, questioning the timing of the Sena (UBT)'s overtures. 'How come suddenly the Sena (UBT) has become so positive for an alliance? Four months ago, they were taking objections over the MNS using photos of Bal Thackeray. Is it just because of their political situation? Is it because they managed to win just 20 seats in the Assembly polls? Had they won 60 seats, would they have been so enthusiastic?' Deshpande said.
The idea of a Thackeray reunion appeals to a sizeable section of Marathi voters who are nostalgic for the undivided Shiv Sena. But for now, until a direct conversation takes place between Uddhav and Raj, the alliance remains more a matter of speculation than strategy.
According to MNS insiders, behind the emotional appeals lies a clear motive for the Sena (UBT). After losing its symbol to Eknath Shinde's party after the split in 2022 and the debacle in 2024 Assembly polls, the Sena (UBT) is now working to shore up its urban Marathi base — especially in Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, and parts of Pune where the MNS's influence still resonates — ahead of the pending local body elections.
Party insiders say there are other concerns for Raj: any alliance risks painting the MNS as the 'younger brother' or 'junior partner', making it secondary both in perception and seat sharing. 'The Sena (UBT) wants us for our vote base, but they won't give us space. Why would Raj walk into that trap?' an MNS leader said.
Data for the most recent municipal corporation elections held between 2014 and 2019, however, shows that the MNS has limited presence in civic bodies. The MNS, contesting across 21 of the 27 corporations, won just 26 out of a total 2,736 seats with an overall vote share of 3.56%. In the previous set of municipal corporation elections from 2009 to 2014, the MNS won 162 of the total 2,543 seats, securing an overall vote share of 12.43%.
Ideological discomfort is also playing a role. The MNS, which has leaned sharply towards Hindutva in the past five years, finds little resonance with Sena (UBT)'s current INDIA bloc allies, the Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar).
'The MNS has always fought to maintain its independent identity,' another senior leader explained. 'If we ally with Uddhav, he gains legitimacy and numbers. What do we get?'
As far as an alliance with the BJP goes, the BJP sees a clear advantage in bringing the MNS into the ruling Mahayuti, especially in urban pockets where the regional outfit holds sway among the Marathi youth. The party's firm stances on illegal migrants, loudspeakers, and cultural assertion make it a natural fit for the BJP's urban Hindutva strategy.
For Raj, the deal is transactional, not ideological, offering visibility, leverage, and resources, without surrendering political independence.
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