Uddhav–Raj Thackeray come together on Ganesh Chaturthi, spark buzz in Maharashtra politics

A month after the estranged Thackeray cousins set aside two decades of differences, Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS Chief Raj Thackeray came together again on Wednesday on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Uddhav Thackeray visited Raj Thackeray’s residence on Ganesh Chaturthi 2025, joining the family for the festive celebrations and extending his warm wishes.

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It became a public display of unity and strength on one of the most sacred days.

पक्षप्रमुख मा. श्री. उद्धवसाहेब ठाकरे ह्यांनी सहकुटुंब राजसाहेब ठाकरे ह्यांच्या घरच्या गणपती बाप्पाचं दर्शन घेतले. pic.x.com/8VNdHbuu59

— ShivSena – शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) August 27, 2025

Raj broke his 13-year absence from Matoshree in July, while Uddhav Thackeray was present at Shivtirth, Raj Thackeray’s home, for the first time in two decades, months before civic body polls.

In July 2025, Raj Thackeray visited Uddhav Thackeray’s residence to express solidarity against what they described as the “Hindi imposition” under the new three-language policy in Maharashtra’s schools.

Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray parted ways in 2006. The split happened after tensions within the Shiv Sena over leadership succession following Bal Thackeray’s declining health. Bal Thackeray chose his son Uddhav as his political heir, sidelining Raj.

Despite Uddhav and Raj joining forces for the first time in two decades for the BEST credit society elections, their Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) combine, which contested the polls under the “Utkarsh” panel, failed to win even one of the 19 seats it contested.

Feeling sidelined, Raj quit the Shiv Sena in November 2005 and formally launched his own party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), in March 2006.

Bal Thackeray, the founder of the Shiv Sena, passed away on 17 November 2012 in Mumbai at the age of 86.