Maharashtra’s pride is at stake, say Thackeray cousins; slam BJP and its leadership

If we continue to be divided, the forces that want to break up Maharashtra will take advantage of the situation and benefit from it, say Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray in a interview

Mumbai: Maharashtra is more important than anything else and they will oppose every attempt to split it, the  Thackeray cousins — Uddhav and Raj — asserted in their first joint interview in the run-up to the municipal corporations elections in the western Indian State. 

The elections are a sort of make-or-break situation for Uddhav, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, and Raj, the MNS founder-president. 

In the first part of the interview, the Thackerays slammed the BJP and its leadership. 

The interview was conducted by journalist-politician Sanjay Raut, the Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member, who is an aide of Uddhav and close friend of Raj, and filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar, who posed questions as a "common man".

The interview appeared in Saamna, Dophar ka Saamana and the newspaper group’s social media handles.

During the discussion, the brothers elaborated in detail the reasons for their coming together. 

“I had earlier also said in an interview to Mahesh Manjrekar that Maharashtra is bigger than any dispute. Maharashtra is in crisis today. Mumbai is facing a crisis, and so are many other cities in Maharashtra. The people of Maharashtra understand the nature of this crisis. They are fully aware of the kind of politics being played in Maharashtra. This is the biggest reason why we have come together today. Today, this is not just a question of our existence, but of the existence of the entire society of Maharashtra. I have been speaking on this issue for years, and so has Uddhav. Today, Maharashtra and these elections stand at a crucial juncture, a true now or never moment. This situation applies equally to Mumbai, Thane, and the entire Mumbai metropolitan region. I am deliberately mentioning the MMR. Considering all these factors, it is essential for us to come together today. If we still fail to unite and fight together, Maharashtra will not forgive us,” said Raj.

“The coming together of us is certainly an emotional matter, but the fact that we two brothers have come together means that Maharashtra must now unite. If we want to save Maharashtra, we must show unity. Political parties and opinions may differ, but we are from Maharashtra, and Maharashtra belongs to us. If we continue to be divided and pursue our own separate agendas, the forces that want to break up Maharashtra will take advantage of the situation and benefit from it,” added Uddhav. 

Sounding optimistic, Raj noted: “You may recall, after the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, Balasaheb Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena. Maharashtra was reunited at that time because it was necessary. The same situation seems to be repeating itself today.” 

Reasoning further, Uddhav pointed out: “The Marathi people were tired. Their confidence was shattered. It was at that time that the Shiv Sena was founded to awaken their strength and consciousness and instill enthusiasm in them. For many years, everything went well. We all felt that no one would dare to do such a thing again….the Shiv Sena was broken to weaken Maharashtra.”