Another Uddhav, Raj meet-up fuels speculations of electoral alliance ahead of Maharashtra local body polls

Mumbai: Amid talks of a possible Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS electoral alliance in the run up to the crucial Maharashtra local bodies elections, the Thackeray cousins — Uddhav and Raj —were seen together for the fifth time on Sunday.

The developments involving Dadu and Raja, as the Thackeray cousins call each other, is being closely watched by the ruling BJP-led Maha Yuti and opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.

In fact, the Thackeray family continuing to command the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, is a major challenge for the Shiv Sena (UBT), headed by Uddhav, and in this, support of Raj-led MNS is very important.

The back-to-back Raj-Uddhav engagements - both personal - on Sunday happened in Bandra East.

The first event was the naming ceremony of the grandson of Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, the Man Friday of Uddhav and close friend of Raj.

Uddhav, accompanied by wife Rashmi and their son and Worli MLA Aaditya while Raj, accompanied by wife Sharmila, went to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Club.

The video of the two cousins chatting with Raut went viral on social media platforms. Besides them were Uddhav's PA Milind Narvekar and Mumbai South Central MP Anil Desai.

Later, in a surprise, Raj drove to Uddhav’s residence, Matoshree, and held a closed-door meeting with his brother. However, what transpired in the 40-minute meeting, is not yet known.

Both parties have dropped enough hints of an alliance.

During the annual Dussehra rally, Uddhav said: “It is being asked whether we (Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS) will come together...what else we did on 5 July...I had said and repeat we have come together to stay together” - a reference to the public meeting in Dome in Worli after they forced the BJP-led Maha Yuti government to withdraw two GRs which introduced Hindi in primary schools as the third language under the three-language formula of the New Education Policy.

In another important development, on 12 September, the cadres of both the parties undertook a march-cum-morcha in Nashik district to highlight the issues concerning Maharashtra and they hit out at the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maha Yuti dispensation.

While Raut led the Shiv Sena (UBT), the MNS was led by former Minister of State for Home Bala Nandgaonkar.

Previous Raj-Uddhav meet-up

On July 5 at the Dome in Sardar Vallabhbhai Stadium, National Sports Club of India in Worli, on the issue of Marathi-bhasha, Marathi-asmita and the larger cause of Maharashtra - a scene that the people of the state waited for two decades.

On July 27, Raj drove to Matoshree in Bandra to wish Uddhav on his 65th birthday

On August 27, Uddhav reciprocated by visiting the Shivtirth, the house of Raj along the Shivaji Park, on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.

On 10 September, Uddhav visited Shivtirth to meet Raj’s mother and his maternal aunt Kunda Tai and the two cousins also had a one-on-one meet