Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Thursday said that while there have been many alliances and synergies in state and national politics, this alliance between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Raj Thackeray-founded Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will prove to be historic, revolutionary, and a source of strength for the Marathi people.
The party said the union of the Thackeray brothers is a “good omen” for Maharashtra, helping to defeat those considered “traitors” to the state.
In an editorial in its mouthpiece, Saamana, the party said the BJP and Shinde faction claim they are “not afraid” of a united Thackeray front; this rhetoric conceals their deepest fears. The alliance’s message is clear: Maharashtra will now rise in protest, the Marathi people will stand against injustice, and they will fight to win.
A day after the Thackeray cousins formally joined forces for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other civic body elections in Maharashtra, the Thackeray camp claimed that this was not a transactional political deal, but a sacred pledge to protect the welfare of the Marathi people.
The Thackeray camp strongly criticized the central government and the current state leadership, alleging that “Delhi” has pursued a policy of systematically weakening the Marathi people by abusing power. It accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena of acting as “servants of Delhi,” claiming that they have remained silent spectators to the economic and cultural “attack” on Maharashtra.
The editorial stated that the alliance seeks to counter the alleged conspiracy by “outsiders” and wealthy businessmen to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra. It further stated that the Thackeray brothers have joined forces when prime real estate from Panvel and Thane to Raigad and Alibag has been grabbed by associates of the “Shah Company.”
“The ruling BJP views Mumbai only as a place for ‘loot’ and auction, prioritizing builders over the local Marathi population. Mumbai’s future is not safe in the hands of those who want to merge it with Gujarat. The original Shiv Sena was eliminated because it was hindering plans to merge Mumbai’s interests with Gujarat,” it added. According to the editorial, the Thackeray brothers have joined forces with a willingness to sacrifice to protect Mumbai, reflecting the alleged decline in Maharashtra’s influence in national politics. It further warned of a conspiracy by “outsiders” to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra. It reiterated that the BJP has no emotional connection to undivided Maharashtra and sees Mumbai only as a source of plunder.
The Thackeray camp strongly justified the alliance between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS, saying it came about when “there was a historical fear in Delhi about the bravery and political diplomacy of the Marathi people who once hoisted their flag beyond Attock.”
