Uddhav, Raj Thackeray Panels To Contest Jointly In BEST Union Polls
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had earlier hinted at an alliance between the two and said they would 'surely' contest upcoming local bodies elections as allies.
A major development that points to growing camaraderie between the Thackeray cousins, the panels backed by Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are set to contest together in the upcoming BEST union elections, marking their first formal electoral collaboration in nearly two decades.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had earlier hinted at this alliance, saying that the Uddhav-led Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) would 'surely" contest upcoming local bodies elections as allies. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut affirmed that both Thackerays would 'come together and discuss" the contours of the alliance.
The remarks came shortly after the cousins reunited in July to jointly protest the Maharashtra government's contentious three-language policy for students of Classes 1 to 5, calling it an imposition of Hindi. Their united stance was seen as a political statement, culminating in a joint 'victory" event after the policy was rolled back.
With civic polls looming in Mumbai, the Sena's traditional bastion, as well as in Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Thane, and Kalyan-Dombivli, Raut noted that cadre from both parties now believe that a joint alliance will help them secure a clear majority across these municipal corporations.
Raj Thackeray had broken away from the undivided Shiv Sena in 2005, citing differences with Uddhav, and went on to launch the MNS, positioning it as a more assertive pro-Marathi force. Since then, the cousins have largely remained political rivals, contesting against each other in various state and local elections.
The upcoming civic polls—and now the BEST union elections—could mark a turning point in Maharashtra's political landscape, as the once-divided Thackeray factions explore a united front.
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