Amid talks of patch-up with Uddhav, Raj Thackeray meets CM Devendra Fadnavis at Mumbai hotel
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday held a closed-door meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a five-star hotel in Mumbai, sparking speculation that he may be considering a realignment with the BJP-led Mahayuti government instead of an alliance with cousin Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT).
The meeting between the two leaders took place at Taj Lands End in Bandra and lasted over an hour. The meeting was neither pre-announced nor part of either leader's official schedule.
The development comes after nearly two months of emotional appeals, symbolic gestures, and strategic signalling by the Shiv Sena (UBT) to reunite the Thackeray cousins under a unified 'Marathi manoos' banner. Uddhav, son Aaditya, and senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders like Sanjay Raut have repeatedly urged a reconciliation, claiming the larger cause of Marathi identity and regional pride warranted a reconciliation.
However, while Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders and workers had leaned heavily on public messaging—old photos, social media posts, and even the Saamana front page—the MNS has kept mum.
Though Raj hinted on an April 19 podcast that he prioritises Maharashtra over personal disagreements, his party quickly clarified that unity on issues does not equate to electoral alliances.
The MNS's top leadership has insisted that no formal proposal has been received. On June 5, Raj's son Amit had bluntly remarked that 'alliances are not formed through media sound bites', making it clear that the MNS was unmoved.
Thursday's meeting with Fadnavis deepens that perception. Coming just days before both Raj (June 14) and Aaditya's (June 13) birthdays—an occasion Shiv Sena (UBT) workers had tried to frame as symbolic for unity—this unscheduled engagement with Fadnavis suggests Raj may be playing a different game.
According to political observers in the state, the meeting cannot be a mere courtesy call as it comes at a time when the civic polls are set to be held and with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) a key target, an MNS-BJP alliance may gain more traction than a Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS one.
Responding to the meeting, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former BMC mayor Kishori Pednekar said that it was too early to comment on the matter. 'Let us wait and watch. Both brothers have called their differences minor, and there is also a shared feeling among the MNS and Sena UBT workers. So let us see how it goes.. it would be inappropriate to jump the gun now,' she said.
On Thursday, the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, had also offered Raj the opportunity to join hands with them. 'Earlier, too, during the Assembly, we had offered to ally. Now also, we are open to an alliance. We still offer Raj saheb to come with us,' Sena leader and minister Sanjay Shirsat had said.
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