MUMBAI, July 28 — In a gesture loaded with both personal warmth and political symbolism, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray drove to Matoshree on Sunday to greet his cousin, Uddhav Thackeray, leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), on his 65th birthday.
Raj arrived from his Shivteerth residence in Dadar to the Thackeray family bungalow in Bandra, where he was received at the gate by Uddhav and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. He handed over a large bouquet of red roses to Uddhav before entering the iconic residence, which has long served as a hub of Maharashtra’s political life.
The meeting comes weeks after the cousins shared a political stage on July 5 for the first time in nearly two decades during a “victory” rally in Mumbai. The event marked the BJP-led Maharashtra government’s decision to roll back controversial Hindi language government resolutions (GRs), following public outcry and pressure from regional parties.
At the rally, the two leaders had declared a renewed partnership centered on protecting Marathi identity and resisting the “imposition” of Hindi. “We have come together to stay together,” Uddhav had said at the time, signalling a potential long-term political alliance.
Though Sunday’s visit was presented as a birthday courtesy, it further reinforced the message of unity between the once-estranged cousins — a development that could reshape the contours of Maharashtra politics ahead of the state elections.
