Mumbai: Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vinayak Raut has voiced strong support for a potential political reunion between Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction, calling it a reflection of growing public sentiment in Maharashtra. Speaking to the media, Raut noted the “emotional timing” of both leaders recently returning from international trips, hinting at a symbolic alignment amid calls for unity.
Raut emphasized that people across the state are eager to see the Thackeray cousins come together once more, describing it as a collective pushback against what he called “poor governance” by the current state leadership. He said such a move would serve not just the political legacy of the Thackeray family but also the broader interests of Marathi voters.
In a significant political message, Raut also extended an invitation to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to consider joining the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. He asserted that as long as Pawar remains within the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition, his aspirations to become Chief Minister would remain out of reach. Joining the MVA, Raut said, would give Pawar a real shot at fulfilling that ambition.
While Raut acknowledged that no formal steps toward an MNS–UBT alliance have been taken, he underlined growing grassroots demand for unity among Marathi-centric political forces. He framed the potential reunion not as a strategic move alone, but as a sentiment-driven response to voter frustration across urban and rural constituencies.
As discussions continue behind the scenes, political observers are watching closely to see whether this show of public sentiment will translate into tangible alliances ahead of the forthcoming civic and state elections.
