Mumbai: A photo-opportunity that Maharashtra had anticipated for a long time, as the Thackeray cousins Raj and Uddhav came together, first to pay tributes to Balasaheb Thackeray and then announce an alliance for the upcoming BMC elections in January.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray said, “The moment that Maharashtra was waiting for a long time that Shiv Sena and MNS should come together, today we are officially announcing the same.”
“We have come together to stay together”, said UBT Sena Chief Uddhav.
The two parties coming together also signals the fact that identity politics will once again hold sway with the UBT Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray clearly saying that the needs of the Marathi manoos will be looked into. The cause of Maharashtra has been kept as the biggest priority.
Raj Thackeray said, “Maharashtra is bigger than any quarrel; we are announcing that our alliance has been formed, the mayor of Mumbai will be a Marathi and will be ours.”
The UBT Sena also sees the alliance as one that will speak for the cause of the Marathi manoos.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said, “This is a very auspicious moment, and the people of Maharashtra have been waiting for this moment… Mumbai accommodates everyone within itself. We have never looked at caste or anyone’s religion. We have always spoken about Marathis and sons of the soil.”