Uddhav Sena, MNS cadres take out 'Jan Akrosh Morcha' in Nashik, intensify campaign ahead of local body polls

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

Mumbai: After back-to-back meetings between Thackeray cousins - Uddhav and Raj - and their close aides, the ground force of the two parties hit the ground together in Nashik on Friday marking a new chapter in Maharashtra politics.

The Jan Akrosh Morcha was meant to highlight the issues concerning Maharashtra and they hit out at the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maha Yuti dispensation. 

They chose to launch the series of morchas from Nashik as both the parties have cadre bases in this pilgrimage town of Maharashtra.

The second such morcha is expected to be organised in Pune in the coming weeks. 

“The origin of the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray and MNS led by Raj Thackeray is the same our guardian is late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray,” Sanjay Raut said, adding: “The two brothers have come together workers of both the parties would come together he message from Nashik is loud and clear Maharashtra will follow Thackerays now.” 

“The state government has got the message from Nashik the strength of Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS is spread across the state,” added Bala Nandgaonkar.

The Nashik morcha comes a couple of days after a one-on-one meeting between the two brothers in Mumbai. 

After two decades, the cousins have made three public appearances, the first being 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.