Maharashtra bigger than any feud: Raj Thackeray on reuniting with cousin Uddhav

MNS chief Raj Thackeray reunited with his cousin Uddhav after 20 years of political rivalry.

Updated on: Jul 5, 2025, 12:37:44 IST

By HT News Desk

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Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray said the state was bigger than any feud, as he put up a united front with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray on stage in Mumbai, after being rivals for 20 years.

Raj Thackeray (L) and Uddhav Thackeray at the Victory Rally in Worli. (Hindustan Times)

"Maharashtra is bigger than any feud, any argument," Raj Thackeray said, with Uddhav next to him. The brothers also garlanded the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the joint rally.

Raj Thackeray's MNS and the Uddhav Sena announced a joint rally after the Maharashtra government rolled back on its decision to make Hindi the third language in primary schools in Maharashtra.

Addressing the rally, Thackeray also alleged that Hindi was “being forced” on to children. “Had this decision on Hindi been accepted quietly, next step would have been an attempt to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra,” Thackeray said.

The MNS chief's remarks came in reference to the Maharashtra government's recent directive that Hindi will "generally" be taught as a third language to students from Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English medium schools.

Following sustained opposition from political parties and language advocacy groups, this government resolution was rolled back.

Soon after, the MNS and the Uddhav Sena announced they would celebrate the state government’s move to scrap the decision, with a joint rally on July 5.

As Raj Thackeray stood next to his cousin after years of trading barbs, he said quipped, “Devendra Fadnavis did what Balasaheb Thackeray could not”.

Raj Thackeray is the nephew of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. In 2006, he broke ties with the Shiv Sena alleging he was sidelined, and floated his own party, the MNS, which went on to win 13 seats in the 2009 assembly elections in Maharashtra.

Uddhav and Raj Thackeray have been at loggerheads ever since, uniting again after 20 years today.

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