Ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections later this year, Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray has expressed willingness to get back together with his cousin Raj Thackeray, who has been estranged for many years. In this regard, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande on Sunday stated that the party had extended an olive branch to Uddhav Thackeray in 2017, but he had rejected it, and he said the MNS leader had gone to Matoshree to meet Uddhav Thackeray, but he did not even come down.
Will Uddhav apologise for 17,000 cases against MNS?
He stated that the party also needs to address what has happened in the past, but will Uddhav Thackeray apologise for the 17,000 cases lodged against MNS workers on the loudspeaker issue when he was Chief Minister?
Why did Raj Thackeray form the MNS?
It should be noted that Raj Thackeray left the Shiv Sena and formed the MNS two decades ago after he claimed that he was sidelined even as Uddhav was anointed Bal Thackeray's successor.
In last year's Lok Sabha polls, he had extended his unconditional support to the Mahayuti alliance, and in the Maharashtra Assembly polls last year, the MNS did not win a single seat even as Raj Thackeray's son Amit lost from Mahim.
In the meantime, the Shiv Sena UBT is also scared of a fight after Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde split the party in 2022 and wrested the party's name and symbol. In the recent Assembly elections, the party trailed far behind the Shinde's Shiv Sena.
Amid these developments, Naresh Mhaske of Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena dismissed the possibility of a patch-up and said when Raj Thackeray was in the party, Uddhav Thackeray did not want to give him any responsibility and did not want him to visit shakhas. How will he go to include him ?"
What did others say on reconciliation?
In reply to this, Sanjay Raut said that Mhaske should concentrate on his party leader Amit Shah. Moreover, minister Uday Samant from the Shiv Sena also dismissed the possibility of a reconciliation and said Raj Thackeray is an independent thinker and he is unlikely to respond to riders and pre-conditions.
