Wil Raj, Uddhav Thackeray fight BMC polls together? Sanjay Raut says 'If Mumbai is to be saved...'
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday hinted that his party and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) may contest the polls together.
- Jul 10, 2025,
- Updated Jul 10, 2025 12:28 PM IST
Ever since Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray reunited after 20 years at the Awaj Marathicha rally in Worli, political watchers and the people of Maharashtra have one question -- will the Thackeray cousins contest the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls together?
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday hinted that his party and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) may contest the polls together. He further said that the estranged cousins should come together to fight the elections if Mumbai is to be saved.
"I have not said that Shiv Sena and MNS are contesting (local body) elections together. I said that there is pressure and demand from the public on Shiv Sena and MNS to contest local body elections together," Raut was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Will Uddhav ditch MVA, INDIA bloc for BMC polls?
Raut further said that the INDIA bloc and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance is not needed for the BMC polls. The MVA comprises the Congress and NCP (SP) apart from Shiv Sena (UBT).
"The INDIA bloc was made for the Lok Sabha elections, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was made for the Vidhan Sabha elections. They are not needed in the local elections. Since there are local issues, they will have to be left to the local people."
Speaking on Raj Thackeray's order to MNS leaders not to talk to the media, Raut said: "Raj Thackeray has a way of working. We speak publicly, but he may not speak. But we will know what is happening in the coming days."
Uddhav hints at reunion with Raj
The Awaj Marathicha event was held to celebrate the Devendra Fadnavis-led state government's rollback of 2 government resolutions that proposed introducing Hindi as a third language in Marathi-medium primary schools.
During this event, Uddhav hinted at a closer association with his estranged cousin. "We have come together and will stay together," the former Maharashtra CM declared, triggering speculations of both parties contesting the BMC polls together.
BMC polls -- a prestige battle for Thackerays
The BMC polls are not just being seen as a prestige battle for the Thackerays but also as a fight to control the coffers of India's richest civic body. Before its grip on the BMC weakened after the party split in 2022, the Shiv Sena ruled the civic body for more than 2 decades.
Ever since Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray reunited after 20 years at the Awaj Marathicha rally in Worli, political watchers and the people of Maharashtra have one question -- will the Thackeray cousins contest the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls together?
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday hinted that his party and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) may contest the polls together. He further said that the estranged cousins should come together to fight the elections if Mumbai is to be saved.
"I have not said that Shiv Sena and MNS are contesting (local body) elections together. I said that there is pressure and demand from the public on Shiv Sena and MNS to contest local body elections together," Raut was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Will Uddhav ditch MVA, INDIA bloc for BMC polls?
Raut further said that the INDIA bloc and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance is not needed for the BMC polls. The MVA comprises the Congress and NCP (SP) apart from Shiv Sena (UBT).
"The INDIA bloc was made for the Lok Sabha elections, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was made for the Vidhan Sabha elections. They are not needed in the local elections. Since there are local issues, they will have to be left to the local people."
Speaking on Raj Thackeray's order to MNS leaders not to talk to the media, Raut said: "Raj Thackeray has a way of working. We speak publicly, but he may not speak. But we will know what is happening in the coming days."
Uddhav hints at reunion with Raj
The Awaj Marathicha event was held to celebrate the Devendra Fadnavis-led state government's rollback of 2 government resolutions that proposed introducing Hindi as a third language in Marathi-medium primary schools.
During this event, Uddhav hinted at a closer association with his estranged cousin. "We have come together and will stay together," the former Maharashtra CM declared, triggering speculations of both parties contesting the BMC polls together.
BMC polls -- a prestige battle for Thackerays
The BMC polls are not just being seen as a prestige battle for the Thackerays but also as a fight to control the coffers of India's richest civic body. Before its grip on the BMC weakened after the party split in 2022, the Shiv Sena ruled the civic body for more than 2 decades.