Thackeray cousins reunite after 20 years, lead massive “Marathi Victory” rally in Mumbai

In a landmark moment for Maharashtra politics, cousins Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT) and Raj Thackeray (MNS) appeared together publicly for the first time in nearly two decades at a massive rally titled “Awaj Marathicha” (Voice of the Marathi) held today at Mumbai’s NSCI Dome.

The event was convened to commemorate the state government’s decision to withdraw contentious three-language policy orders that had introduced Hindi as a compulsory third language in primary schools.

The mood at the rally was electric—supporters broke gates in their enthusiasm, and the venue quickly filled beyond capacity.

Tribal leaders, Marathi cultural icons like actress Tejaswini Pandit, and activists rallied alongside the two leaders, calling the moment a rebirth of Marathi unity.

On stage, Raj Thackeray took a sharp tone, declaring, “What Bal Thackeray could not do, Devendra Fadnavis has done—he brought Uddhav and me together."

He criticized the central government for Hindi promotion, arguing that imposing the language weakens Maharashtra’s cultural identity and marginalizes local Marathi-speaking youth.

Uddhav Thackeray responded with a conciliatory stance, stating: “We have removed the distance between us … we have come together and will stay together."

He emphasized that the rally and their unity sent a stronger message than any political speech.

The demonstration comes just before crucial BMC (Mumbai civic) elections, and both leaders leveraged Marathi pride as a mobilizing force, deliberately choosing to proceed without political party symbols.

Their sudden collaboration follows their opposition to the government’s now-scrapped three-language order, which triggered backlash across Maharashtra. The state cabinet reversed the policy on June 29, prompting the sides to cancel a scheduled protest march and instead transform it into this celebratory victory gathering.

This reunion marks a rare reconciliation within the Thackeray family, fractured since 2005, when Raj left Shiv Sena to form the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) after internal differences.