After 20 Years, Raj Thackeray Steps Inside Shiv Sena Bhavan Following Alliance With Brother Uddhav | Politics News

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray at the Sena Bhavan. (PTI)

Sunday marked a pivotal moment in Maharashtra politics as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray stepped foot at the Shiv Sena Bhavan after 20 years following his split from the undivided Shiv Sena and Uddhav Thackeray back in 2005. This came after the Thackeray cousins announced an alliance for the upcoming municipal elections on January 15.

It was the Shiv Sena Bhavan from where the Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) jointly released their manifesto “Vachan Nama’ for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, projecting a united front against the ruling alliance in Maharashtra.

Among the key promises outlined by the Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance are affordable housing, targeted welfare schemes for women, and major investments in healthcare, public transport and education. A flagship proposal is the ‘Swabhiman Nidhi’ scheme, under which domestic helpers and Koli women will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500. The manifesto also proposes setting up ‘Maa Saheb’ kitchens, which are named after Meenatai Thackeray (Balasaheb Thackeray’s wife), to provide subsidised breakfast and lunch at Rs 10.

20 Years In The Making

Raj Thackeray’s political career began at Shiv Sena Bhavan under the guidance of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, where he took on leadership responsibilities. However, a rift with Uddhav Thackeray prompted Raj to leave the Shiv Sena in 2005 and form the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in 2006.

Raj Thackeray faced serious allegations in the death of Ramesh Kini in Pune, triggering a high-profile CID and then CBI investigation. Kini, a film distributor, died under mysterious circumstances after reportedly facing pressure related to a dispute involving a theatre owner close to Raj. Though Raj was eventually cleared of wrongdoing, the case triggered public outcry and a CBI probe, damaging his reputation.

The final straw came when Balasaheb Thackeray’s cadres backed Uddhav as his heir, a move that Raj Thackeray perceived as humiliating – leading to his exit from Shiv Sena. His party centred on aggressive Marathi-centric and anti-migrant campaigns.

Tensions between the two estranged cousins eased after they unitedly opposed the Maharashtra government’s order mandating that Hindi be “generally” taught as a third language from Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English medium schools. Raj Thackeray criticised the three-language formula, accusing the government of diluting Marathi’s importance.