In a powerful display of political reconciliation, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray shared the stage at Mumbai's iconic Shivaji Park on Sunday, January 12, 2026. The joint rally, held just days before the crucial January 15 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, transcended mere family reunion after nearly two decades of estrangement. The cousins pitched the civic polls as a final, decisive fight for "land, power, and Marathi identity," positioning themselves as the last defenders of local interests against perceived external threats.
A Call for Marathi Unity: The "Last Election" Warning
Raj Thackeray delivered the rally's most stark message, framing the upcoming vote with apocalyptic urgency. He directly warned Marathi-speaking voters that "This is the last election for Marathi citizens." He elaborated that a failure now would be "a mistake for eternity." This dramatic pitch was a clear call for the traditional Marathi vote bank, fragmented in recent years, to consolidate behind the Thackeray alliance. The political calculation is evident: by burying their historic differences, Uddhav and Raj aim to harness Thackeray nostalgia and reunite the Shiv Sena's core base, which was splintered by the split led by Deputy Chief Minister and Sena rebel Eknath Shinde.
The Fear of a "Gujarat Takeover" and Protecting Mumbai
A central theme of both speeches was the emotive warning that Mumbai is gradually slipping away from Maharashtra's control. The leaders invoked deep-seated historical memories from the Samyukta Maharashtra movement to allege a "gradual takeover" by Gujarat-linked political and economic interests. Raj Thackeray asserted that Mumbai and Maharashtra must remain "in the hands of Marathis and not be given to Gujarat." This was not presented as a literal territorial transfer but as a metaphor for the shifting control over the city's valuable land, wealth, and policy-making power. Uddhav Thackeray tied this fear directly to the civic polls, stating their reunion was to "ensure the protection of Maharashtra" and pledging not to let Mumbai "break or bow down."
Corporate Influence and BJP's "Divisive Politics"
The Thackerays also trained their fire on large corporate groups and the ruling BJP. Raj Thackeray explicitly linked the expansion of the Adani group's projects since 2014 to a long-term plan of displacing local residents. "Land and language are your identity. Once it is gone, your identity is over," he cautioned, connecting rising redevelopment and infrastructure projects to a loss of local identity. Furthermore, both leaders accused the BJP of relying on religious polarisation instead of governance. Uddhav Thackeray challenged Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to show an election where he did not raise Hindu-Muslim issues, daring him to focus on civic problems like roads, housing, and public services instead.
The Shivaji Park rally successfully set the narrative for the final leg of the BMC campaign. By combining the potent themes of Marathi identity, fear of cultural and economic displacement, and anti-BJP rhetoric, the Thackeray cousins have attempted to frame the municipal election as a much larger existential battle for the soul of Mumbai and Maharashtra itself.
