Thackeray Cousins to Contest Civic Polls Together, Sanjay Raut Confirms Political Reunion

Thackeray cousins to contest civic polls together — Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray have officially decided to join forces for the upcoming municipal elections. The announcement was made by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who confirmed that the cousins will fight civic polls in Mumbai and other key cities as allies.

Raut stated that the combined strength of Uddhav and Raj, along with the unity of Marathi-speaking voters, will be decisive in the elections. “The Thackeray brothers will contest the municipal corporation elections in Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, and Kalyan-Dombivli together and win. No power can break the iron fist of the Marathi people now,” he told reporters.

This marks a major political reunion, two decades after Raj Thackeray quit the Shiv Sena to form his own party. Talks of a possible alliance gained momentum earlier this year, especially after both leaders raised concerns about the state government’s attempt to introduce Hindi as a third language in schools.

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The cousins had already shared the stage at Mumbai’s NSCI Dome in Worli, addressing a massive crowd against the Hindi language policy. At the rally, Uddhav Thackeray declared, “We have come together to stay together. We will capture power in Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra.” His words drew loud cheers from the audience.

Raj Thackeray, while targeting the ruling BJP, warned that the government’s next move would be to divide people on caste. “Their strategy is divide and rule. Mumbai was our right, and we fought for it. We won’t allow Hindi to dominate Marathi identity,” he said.

The civic polls, particularly in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), hold special significance as Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena considers it their stronghold. With the state government rolling back its controversial language policy, the cousins have positioned themselves as defenders of Marathi pride.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP leader Girish Mahajan downplayed the alliance, stating that anyone can unite in politics, but the real challenge lies in winning Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik. Leaders from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction also expressed confidence that the Mahayuti alliance — comprising BJP, Shinde Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP — would win all major civic bodies.

The upcoming municipal polls are expected in October and will cover Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizamapur, Vasai-Virar, Panvel, and other cities. The political battlefield is set, and all eyes will be on how the Thackeray cousins’ reunion reshapes Maharashtra’s local body politics.