In a significant political development ahead of the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have publicly reunited, strategically invoking the legacy of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement to appeal to the Marathi-speaking electorate.
A Historic Reunion at Balasaheb Smarak
On Wednesday, December 25, 2025, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray arrived together at the Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial in Dadar to pay their respects. This visual of unity set the stage for a press conference where Uddhav formally announced their political reconciliation. The timing is critical, with elections to 29 municipal corporations, including the BMC, scheduled for January 15.
Uddhav Thackeray immediately anchored this new alliance in historical sentiment. He recalled the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, a prolonged agitation between 1956 and 1960 that fought to retain Mumbai within Maharashtra. "The Samyukta Maharashtra movement was a long battle to retain Mumbai in Maharashtra, in which 106 people sacrificed their lives," Uddhav stated. He emphasized his family's role, noting that their grandfather, Prabodhankar Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, was a prominent leader, while his father Bal Thackeray and Raj's father Shrikant Thackeray actively participated.
The Political Pitch for Marathi Unity
The invocation of this history is a direct appeal to Mumbai's Marathi-speaking population, which constitutes about 26% of the city's voters. The Thackeray cousins framed their unity as a necessary defense of Mumbai against external threats. "If we keep fighting among ourselves, it will be an insult to Mumbai. From now on, if anyone looks at Mumbai with an evil eye and tries to break it into pieces through deceitful conspiracies, we will not rest until we finish them off," Uddhav declared in a fiery speech.
He accused the BJP-led central government of having designs to "undermine Mumbai," a reference to grievances like major projects shifting to Gujarat and the past proposal to impose Hindi as a third language in Maharashtra schools—a move that was rolled back after opposition from leaders including Uddhav and Raj.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to dismiss the reunion. Senior BJP minister Ashish Shelar labeled it an alliance "forged for power." "If they were so concerned about the Marathi manoos, why did they not unite for 20 years?" he questioned. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier dismissed such narratives as "fake," asserting that Mumbai is an integral part of Maharashtra and has received maximum development funds under the Modi government.
Broader Alliances and Electoral Stakes
The reunion underscores a do-or-die battle for both parties. In the November 2024 Assembly elections, the Sena (UBT) won only 20 of the 95 seats it contested as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), while the MNS drew a blank fighting alone. This poor performance has led to cracks within the MVA.
The Congress party, an MVA ally, has already announced its plan to contest the BMC polls solo, citing Raj Thackeray's "hardline" stance on non-Marathi speakers and Hindutva as reasons. The NCP (SP), led by Sharad Pawar, has remained non-committal. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said on Wednesday that they are awaiting an alliance proposal from Uddhav and would otherwise proceed with the Congress.
The original Samyukta Maharashtra movement, launched on August 8, 1956, was a broad-based struggle involving leaders across parties and ideologies, including communists, socialists, and reformers like Prabodhankar Thackeray, S.M. Joshi, and Acharya Atre. The agitation culminated in the formation of Maharashtra on May 1, 1960, with Mumbai included as its capital after Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru rejected proposals to make it a Union Territory or part of Gujarat.
Whether this historical symbolism translates into electoral success for the reunited Thackeray cousins remains the pivotal question as Mumbai prepares to vote.
