BJP Disparagingly Calls Joint Rally of Uddhav-Raj Thackeray a ‘Desperate Attempt’ for Revitalization, ‘Family Reunion’
MUMBAI, Maharashtra, India—July 5, 2025: Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, two major figures in Maharashtra politics separated by the bonds of cousinhood, shared a platform publicly for the first time in almost two decades, holding a “victory rally” in Mumbai. While the Thackeray cousins claimed it was a victory for Marathi unity after the state government agreed to withdraw controversial resolutions on Hindi language, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed the rally as a “desperate attempt” to rekindle their political fortunes and more like a family reunion than any act of protest.
Thackeray Cousins Unite for ‘Awaj Marathicha’ Rally
The Awaj Marathicha (Voice of Marathi) rally at NSCI Dome, Worli, Mumbai, brought about rare joint appearances by the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray. The rally had been organized as an opposition march against the government’s resolutions (GRs) making Hindi a compulsory third language for classes 1 in state schools. After the decision of the MahaYuti government to withdraw the GRs this week, the rally was charitably called the celebration of “Marathi Vijay Diwas” (Marathi Victory Day).
In their speeches, both Uddhav and Raj Thackeray emphasized the importance of unity and pride for Marathi. Uddhav Thackeray said, “We have come together to stay together,” hinting at the possibility of a long-term political alliance. Raj Thackeray took an indirect dig at Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis by saying that Fadnavis achieved what even Balasaheb Thackeray could not by bringing the two estranged brothers together.
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BJP Alleges Political Opportunism
BJP leaders in Maharashtra were quick to criticize the joint rally, calling it a calculated political move ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and other local body polls. Maharashtra BJP leaders, including State Minister Ashish Shelar and MLC Pravin Darekar, accused the Thackeray cousins of political opportunism.
Shelar described the event as a “desperate attempt” by Shiv Sena (UBT) to regain lost political ground. He stated it was “not a rally for the love of language but public appeasement of a brother once thrown out of the house.” Darekar echoed this sentiment, asserting the rally was “driven by clear political intent” and highlighted Uddhav Thackeray’s “tone of helplessness” and “regret over losing power.”
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Family Reunion Or Genuine Protest
Many BJP leaders characterized the event more as a “family reunion” than a genuine protest or a movement for Marathi language. They questioned the timing and motives, suggesting that the “brotherhood” between Uddhav and Raj had resurfaced only due to electoral pressures. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule accused Uddhav Thackeray of duplicity, claiming his love for Marathi was “political drama that surfaces only when elections approach.”
Some BJP leaders, like former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, adopted a more conciliatory tone, wishing the brothers well and even suggesting a possible merger of their parties for the sake of Marathi unity. The BJP generally agreed that the rally was an attempt by the two Thackeray cousins to regain their relevance and control over the BMC that they had beforehand ruled over.
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Background of the Row On Hindi Language
The controversy began when the Devendra Fadnavis-led MahaYuti government issued two Government Resolutions in April 2025, proposing Hindi as a compulsory third language for students from Class 1 in English and Marathi medium schools. Any Hindi introduction was treated as an imposition by Marathi organizations and the opposition, led by Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS. The government withdrew the controversial GRs, and thus the Thackeray cousins celebrated.
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The Future Political Landscape
The reunion of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray after two decades of a very public split in 2005 has added another dimension to the political arena in Maharashtra. While the focus was laid on the language issue in the immediate, both leaders hinted at possibly extending that to other political cooperation. The BJP, however, remains assurance-grade upon the Mahayuti’s mandate since the November 2024 state assembly elections and continues to take potshots at the credibility of Thackeray cousins’ so-called ‘new-found unity.’ In the coming months, especially as the BMC elections are round the corner, this long-awaited family reunion will be tested for its real political consequence.
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