After The Hug, Comes The Hesitation: Why Raj Thackeray Isn't Sold On A Reunion Yet
Raj Thackeray's calculated vagueness is telling. He has, so far, offered no endorsement of Uddhav's leadership, no clarity on the MNS's role in future polls
When Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray stood shoulder-to-shoulder on stage at the July 5 'Marathi Vijay Rally', it wasn't just another photo-op. Or so it seemed at the time. The cousins hugged, invoked Balasaheb's legacy, and for a moment, made thousands of old-school Shiv Sainiks and MNS loyalists believe that Maharashtra's original saffron family was making a comeback.
But a week later, the afterglow has faded, and so has the talk of a political alliance.
At an internal MNS meeting in Taigatpuri, Raj Thackeray made it clear, 'I went to the Vijay Rally with Uddhav Thackeray only on the Marathi issue." No mention of elections. No commitment to joint strategy. No sign of a formal handshake beyond the optics. In fact, he told party workers that any decision on alliance or seat-sharing would only come during the BMC and municipal elections, in November or December.
So the real question now is: Did Raj Thackeray just distance himself from Uddhav? And was that emotional rally nothing more than nostalgia in saffron hues?
Uddhav Thackeray, who now leads the Shiv Sena (UBT) after losing the party's name and symbol to Eknath Shinde, has been searching for a revival strategy. With Sharad Pawar's NCP now split, and the Congress struggling to energise its base in urban Maharashtra, Uddhav has every reason to bring Raj into the fold. A joint Thackeray front could plug the leak in the Marathi vote bank, especially in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, and Nashik, where divided loyalties have helped the BJP and Shinde's faction gain ground.
But the problem is that Raj Thackeray hasn't committed to seat-sharing. He hasn't agreed to contest elections with the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes the Congress and NCP(SP). And sources say he's still running the numbers, calculating whether the MNS has more to lose or gain by siding with Uddhav.
The emotional power of that Vijay Rally was undeniable. Long-time Shiv Sainiks wept. MNS workers chanted Balasaheb's name. Leaders like Anil Parab and Kishori Pednekar called it a 'dream moment" that the Sena supremo would've loved to see. But behind the scenes, the arithmetic isn't adding up.
The MNS still holds sway in pockets of Mumbai and Nashik, but hasn't translated charisma into seats in years. Uddhav's Sena, while wounded, remains organisationally stronger. If they join forces, who gives up which turf? Whose cadres dominate local 'shakhas'? Who controls ticket distribution?
That's not just a negotiation, it's a minefield.
And that's before factoring in the Congress and NCP, whose ideological pitch is far more inclusive than the MNS's past rhetoric on migrants and reservations. Aligning with Raj could alienate Muslim voters in urban seats, something the Congress will not accept lightly.
Raj Thackeray's calculated vagueness is telling. He has, so far, offered no endorsement of Uddhav's leadership, no clarity on the MNS's role in future polls, and no indication that a realignment is imminent.
He's keeping his options open, and that includes walking away.
What this suggests is that the July 5 rally may have been a strategic pause, not a turning point. Raj got the optics, Uddhav got a morale boost, and both reconnected with their base. But neither offered anything concrete. And in a state where the BJP-Shinde machine is already gearing up for the next round of municipal polls, that vagueness could cost them.
So did Raj snub Uddhav? Maybe not outright. But he certainly hasn't said yes. And in politics, silence often speaks louder than words.
Raj has promised to 'decide later", after weighing the pros and cons. But time is not on their side. The BMC polls are looming. The BJP and Shinde are mobilising. And unless the cousins can sort out their differences and present a united front with real policy, shared seats, and a common agenda, the Marathis will continue to watch the Thackeray drama from the sidelines, not the voting booth.
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First Published:
July 15, 2025, 11:43 IST
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