Before responding to Raj, did Uddhav seek wife's permission, asks BJP's Nitesh Rane

Mumbai: Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane on Sunday asked if Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray had consulted his wife Rashmi Thackeray before responding to a statement by MNS chief Raj Thackeray that triggered speculation of an alliance between the estranged cousins.

Over the past few days, Raj and Uddhav have sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating they could ignore "trivial issues" and join hands for the sake of Maharashtra and the Marathi 'manoos'.

"You should ask Uddhav Thackeray whether he took Rashmi Thackeray's permission before making any move towards joining hands with the MNS. Her opinion holds more weight in such decisions," Rane said in a podcast with a Hindi news channel.

The minister also alleged it was Rashmi Thackeray who played a "central role" in the exit of Raj Thackeray from the Shiv Sena despite there being "no major differences" between the two cousins at the time.

On the possibility of Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navniram Sena coming together, Rane point out that the BJP-led Mahayuti has won emphatically in Maharashtra.

"So we are not concerned about any alliance between them," he asserted.