Cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating they could ignore “trivial issues” and join hands nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways.
While the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief has said uniting in the interests of “Marathi manoos” is not difficult, former CM Uddhav Thackeray said he was ready to put aside trivial fights, provided that those working against Maharashtra’s interests were not entertained.
The editorial in Saamana said the issues referred to by Raj Thackeray were never known to the public.
Raj keeps talking about “Marathi manoos” and the (then undivided) Shiv Sena (founded by Bal Thackeray) was also born to champion the same cause. So where are the issues? it asked.
“There was no reason for the BJP, Shinde Sena to talk on this. These people started those so-called issues. So there will be no issues if the BJP and Shinde Sena are kept at a distance,” the Marathi daily said.
The BJP and the Shinde-led Sena took aim at the Sena (UBT) by placing gun on Raj’s shoulders. This did not benefit the MNS, but hurt Marathi unity, it claimed.
The BJP’s ploy is to weaken Marathi unity, the editorial alleged.
Raj’s stand had been that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should not be allowed to set foot in Maharashtra, but he did not stick to it, the Marathi daily claimed.
Notably, the MNS had declared unconditional support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term in 2024.
BJP’s Hindutva is “fake and hollow”, and Raj got embroiled in its trap and started getting sunk into it, the editorial charged.
Maharashtra will never forgive if a lifetime is spent dealing with fights and issues, it added. PTI PR GK
