Thackeray Cousins Reunite After 20 Years For BMC Polls; Uddhav Vows To Keep Mumbai United

In a historic political development, the estranged Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, have reunited after 20 years to contest the upcoming Mumbai civic body (BMC) polls together. Sharing the stage in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray asserted that 'Mumbai will stay with us' and vowed to foil any bid to divide the city. MNS chief Raj Thackeray emphasized that Maharashtra is bigger than any petty feud. The alliance comes as the BJP, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, criticized the move as an 'opportunistic alliance' born out of fear of defeat. Meanwhile, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande sparked controversy with a warning to North Indians, stating, 'Batoge toh pitoge, agar aap Marathi ka aapmang karoge.' The report by Mustafa Sheikh explores the impact of this reunion on the political landscape.