Devendra Fadnavis Claims Credit for Historic Thackeray Cousins Reunion in Maharashtra Politics

Reunion was Thackeray's "political compulsion," Devendra Fadnavis stated

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis humorously took credit for bringing together Thackeray cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, remarking, "I was able to do what no one could."

During his speech at the NDTV conclave Marathi Manch, Fadnavis observed, "Today's political environment makes them believe they can increase their influence by uniting." He added, "I thank Raj Thackeray for acknowledging my role in the Thackeray reunion, I accomplished what no one else could."

At a large victory rally in Mumbai's Worli, following the Maharashtra government's withdrawal of two resolutions aimed at introducing Hindi as a third language in state schools, Maharashtra Navnirman chief Raj Thackeray had remarked: "Uddhav (Thackeray) and I are coming together after 20 years... What Balasaheb Thackeray could not achieve, what thousands of others couldn't accomplish, Devendra Fadnavis managed to do."

The Thackeray cousins, who had been estranged since 2005, reunited earlier this year before the civic polls. Their focus is on the Brihanmumbai Corporation – Asia's wealthiest municipal body – which the undivided Sena once controlled.

Fadnavis, however, downplayed the significance of their reunion, calling it their "political compulsion" and while stating he "won't blame them for it," he maintained, "I don't think it will make any difference in the elections."

He further commented, "The 'Thackeray brand' was entirely about Balasaheb Thackeray; there has been no brand after him. The current leadership hasn't even maintained Balasaheb's ideological legacy. That has been preserved only by Eknath Shinde."

The Thackeray brothers have held multiple meetings since June, when the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Shiv Sena UBT jointly opposed the state government's plan to make Hindi the third mandatory language in schools from Class 1.

Yet the political reunion still faces challenges, with the Congress firmly opposing the idea. Sharad Pawar, who has served as the unofficial mediator of the Opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi, has shown positive response, appearing alongside the MNS chief at a recent event.

Sources indicate that the Sena and the MNS have established a committee of senior leaders to identify constituencies and evaluate where each party's organizational strengths can be most effectively utilized.