Pawar, Thackeray brands cannot be wiped out from Maharashtra politics: Raj
Speaking at an event organised by a Marathi news portal in Pune, Raj highlighted the longstanding political and cultural influence of the two families in state and national affairs
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has claimed that attempts are being made to “erase” the legacies of the Pawar and Thackeray families from politics. However, he asserted, such efforts will not succeed.
Speaking at an event organised by a Marathi news portal in Pune, Raj highlighted the longstanding political and cultural influence of the two families in state and national affairs.
“As far as the Thackeray brand is concerned, my grandfather Prabhodankar Thackeray was the first to leave a deep imprint on Maharashtra. After him came Balasaheb Thackeray, followed by my father Shrikant Thackeray, who made his mark in music. Later, both Uddhav and I contributed in our own ways,” he said.
Despite efforts to diminish this legacy, Raj said it would not be easy to erase such deep-rooted names. He added that while political leadership may change, the impact of the Pawar and Thackeray names will endure.
Raj’s remarks come amid growing speculation about a possible reconciliation with his cousin, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray. The two have been politically estranged for nearly two decades.
Maharashtra’s political landscape has undergone major changes in recent years. In 2022 and 2023, both Uddhav’s Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) split. Eknath Shinde now leads a breakaway faction of the Shiv Sena, while Ajit Pawar took control of most NCP MLAs and joined the ruling Mahayuti coalition with the BJP.
In the 2024 assembly elections, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction)—won only 46 of the 288 seats. The MNS failed to win a single seat.
Last month, both Raj and Uddhav indicated they were open to moving past old disputes. In a podcast with actor and filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar, Raj had said unity was crucial for the future of the Marathi people.
“The disputes between Uddhav and me are minor—Maharashtra is far bigger than those issues. These divisions are hurting the existence of Maharashtra and the Marathi community,” Raj had said. “Coming together isn’t difficult—it’s just a question of intent. It’s not about personal desire or selfishness. We must look at the bigger picture. All Marathi people, from both parties, should unite and form a single party.”
He said, “If Maharashtra wants us to reunite, then let that wish be voiced. I will not let my ego stand in the way.”
Responding to Raj’s remarks, Uddhav too had said he was open to reconciliation—if it served the state’s interest. Speaking at a Bharatiya Kamgar Sena rally, he said, “I’m willing to let go of petty differences. I urge all Marathi people to unite for the sake of Maharashtra. But there’s a condition—when we raised the issue in Parliament about industries being shifted to Gujarat, if we had joined forces then, we might have had a government working in Maharashtra’s favour.”
