Talks underway between Thackeray cousins: MNS leader Nandgaonkar

Mumbai, Sep 11 (PTI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Bala Nandgaonkar on Thursday said discussions are going on between Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray, though his party has not been a part of the talks.

“Both are discussing for sure,” Nandgaonkar told reporters when asked about the recent interactions between the two leaders. However, he did not elaborate on the meetings between the once-estranged cousins.

In the past few months, Uddhav and Raj have met many times, sparking speculation that the cousins could come together politically ahead of the upcoming local body polls, including elections to the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

On Wednesday, Uddhav visited Raj’s home ‘Shivtirth’ in Mumbai’s Dadar area, and the two leaders held talks for nearly two and a half hours. This was their second known meeting in the past two weeks.

Asked whether the MNS would align with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and its constituents like the Congress, Nandgaonkar said such issues are decided by the party’s high command. Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) are the other players in the MVA.

“It would not be appropriate for me to comment. One needs to understand that, being two different political parties, there will be differences in opinions and policies among others. Raj Thackeray will consider those and take a decision,” he added.

He also said that Raj Thackeray had already invited some MNS leaders to seek their views and opinions ahead of the civic polls.

Meanwhile, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut described Wednesday’s meeting as personal and non-political. “They are cousins, so they can meet each other. I was there because I am a friend of Raj Thackeray. All the reports in media are false,” Raut said on Thursday morning.

Reacting to the meeting, Maharashtra BJP media chief Navnath Ban said, “The Uddhav-Raj meet was perhaps akin to that of Ram and Bharat, where Ram delegated powers to Bharat, who ruled Ayodhya as his representative. Or was it like the Kauravas and Pandavas from the Mahabharata, where the latter were keen to reclaim their rightful share of power? Sanjay Raut should answer this.” The Thackerays had shared a stage on July 5 in Mumbai to celebrate their "victory" after the Maharashtra government rolled back its contentious orders on the three-language formula for students of Classes 1 to 5 amid charges of imposition of Hindi in the state dominated by Marathi speakers.

At the end of Jul, Raj visited Matoshree, the residence of Uddhav Thackeray in suburban Bandra, to wish the latter on his birthday. More such interactions followed.

Although Raj Thackeray quit the undivided Shiv Sena in 2005, blaming Uddhav for his exit, the drubbing of their parties in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls appears to have pushed the rivals to improve ties and create their own political space in the state.

Both parties have dropped enough hints of forging an alliance for the upcoming local body polls, but have not yet announced a formal tie-up. If a tie-up happens, the BJP, a fierce critic of the Sena (UBT), will be its main rival. Raj Thackeray has had been a critic as well as a supporter of the BJP in the past. PTI ND NR