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Thackeray Cousins Unite in Victory Rally as BJP Shifts to Hindutva Strategy

They shared a nonpartisan platform to mark the policy reversal as the BJP turns to Hindutva messaging to woo Hindi- and Gujarati-speaking voters before municipal polls.

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MNS chief Raj Thackeray (left) and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray during a joint victory rally at Worli, in Mumbai, on Saturday. (PTI)
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, left, and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray during a joint victory rally, titled 'Awaj Marathicha', organised by the cousins, at Worli area, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Saturday, July 5, 2025.
Supriya Sule was seen seated in the front row at the Uddhav and Raj Thackeray reunion rally at the Worli Dome.

Overview

  • Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray shared a stage in Mumbai on July 5 to celebrate the state cabinet’s decision to withdraw two resolutions mandating Hindi as a third language in primary schools.
  • The event at the NSCI Dome was staged without party flags or symbols, emphasizing a broader Marathi solidarity beyond factional divides.
  • Both leaders vowed to “stay together” in defending Marathi identity and hinted at a formal electoral partnership ahead of local body elections.
  • The BJP responded by amplifying Hindutva themes and plans to highlight the recent Mira Road assault on a non-Marathi speaker to court Hindi- and Gujarati-speaking Hindu voters.
  • Party insiders say the BJP’s strategy to balance Marathi pride with pro-Hindutva appeals could consolidate non-Marathi votes in key municipal corporations.