"Batenge To Katenge": Uddhav, Raj Thackeray Join Hands For Mumbai Civic Polls

The estranged Thackeray cousins have reunited. They will fight the upcoming local body elections in Mumbai together. The decision has been made public by cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, formally declaring an alliance that will redraw the power map of the financial capital, with Marathi identity making a grand comeback in the regional politics.

"I officially declare that Shiv Sena and MNS are alliance partners (for the January 15 election)," Raj Thackeray, who heads the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), announced at a joint press conference this morning. "Mumbai will get a Marathi mayor," he thundered, assuring that that person will be from the Shiv Sena-MNS alliance. 

Uddhav, seated next to him, also sounded confident: "Mumbai will stay with us, come what may."

He said Mumbai has become an "eyesore for the rulers in Delhi" and that the Thackerays have vowed to reunite out of a sense of duty.

Read: Split In Opposition In Mumbai Civic Polls, Main Parties To Contest Separately

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also gave a twist to the "batenge toh katenge" slogan of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. “The BJP says 'batenge to katenge' (divided we fall). I say, 'chukal tar sampal' (if you falter now, you will be finished). We will not rest until those dreaming of separating Mumbai from Maharashtra are politically eliminated," he warned.

Ushering in a new dawn of identity politics, his cousin Raj said, "We will make sure that Marathi people get what they want." Marathi identity politics was championed by Bal Thackeray, Raj's uncle and Uddhav's father, and has emerged as a defining factor in the state politics from time to time. 

 "Maharashtra needs stability at a time when 'gangs' that hijack political parties are roaming the state. This alliance is not just for elections; it is for the long-term interest of Maharashtra," he added.

The Thackeray cousins, who have reunited after a gap of 20 years, also called for those unhappy in the Shinde Sena-BJP coalition to join their alliance. "Those who can't bear to see what is happening in the BJP can also come with us," Uddhav said, in a jibe at its former ally, the BJP.

Elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are due within a month. Multiple parties have already geared up for a high-pitch campaign ahead of the January 15 polls, aiming for control of the country's wealthiest municipal body.

Uddhav said that seat-sharing strategies have been finalised for elections in Mumbai, Nashik, and other municipal bodies, but did not share any details.

Sources, however, suggest that Uddhav Sena could secure the lion's share, about 145-150 seats, while Raj Thackeray's MNS could contest 65-70 seats. The NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar is expected to be a part of the alliance and contest 10-12 remaining seats.

The Thackeray cousins' joining hands effectively shifts the focus from the debate over "real Sena" to the "Thackeray Sena" and sends a clear message that the legacy of Sena founder Bal Thackeray would be upheld by the united family. 

Sanjay Raut, a longtime ally of Uddhav Thackeray and an MP, described the joining of hands as a "moment of joy" for the Marathi people and Maharashtra.

Read: The Curious Case Of Mumbai's Missing Allies As Civic Polls Approach

"Balasaheb Thackeray founded Shiv Sena for the sons of the soil. For 20 years, the Thackeray brothers were not together, and Maharashtra had to suffer a lot. Now, to teach the BJP a lesson, to stop the loot that's going on in Mumbai, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray have come together," Raut told reporters.

The reunion appears strategic for the Thackerays. Uddhav commands the sympathy of Bal Thackeray's staunch supporters, while Raj possesses an aggressive style and appeal among the youth that forms the basis of this strategic alliance to confront the ruling Mahayuti. The Thackeray surname would instill confidence among the older cadre.

Raj Thackeray's inclusion will consolidate the Marathi vote bank that previously went to the MNS, hurting former chief minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena.

However, the BJP downplayed any impact of the reunion on the Mumbai elections, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleging that the cousins have betrayed Mumbai.

"I am happy that they have come together. But it would be childish to believe that it would make any difference. I don't think this will change anything. They have continuously betrayed Mumbai. They committed a sin by sending Marathi people out of Mumbai; they are not with them. Besides, the non-Marathis, whom they have attacked, are also not with them. Their track record is of corruption and selfishness," he said.