Thackeray Brothers Reunite at Rally, BJP Alleges Political Motive

In a historic rally in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leaders Uddhav and Raj Thackeray appeared together for the first time in two decades. BJP's Ashish Shelar criticized the event as election-driven, denying it was a true linguistic unity gathering. Tensions over government policies persisted.

In a landmark political event, Maharashtra saw the public rapprochement of Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray at a joint rally in Mumbai. The appearance marks their first shared stage in 20 years, amidst allegations of political maneuvering from the BJP.

Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar labeled the rally a 'public appeasement' strategy ahead of municipal elections rather than a meeting for language promotion. Shelar, in his social media posts, accused the Thackeray faction of exploiting the event for electoral gains, rather than addressing Hindi language policy concerns.

Despite the criticism, the Thackeray brothers emphasized unity. Uddhav Thackeray expressed a commitment to staying united with Raj, while Raj Thackeray pointed to the broader significance for Maharashtra. The event concludes as controversial government policies continue to stir regional tension.

(With inputs from agencies.)