Can Still Shut Down Mumbai In 10 Mins, Team Uddhav MP Brags. D Fadnavis Reacts

The Thackerays can still shut down Mumbai within minutes, Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut has warned, echoing the might of one of Maharashtra's most powerful families that has remained ingrained in the state's politics despite electoral setbacks. "The Thackerays can never be wiped out. We can still shut down Mumbai in 10 minutes," the Rajya Sabha MP said at NDTV Power Play this morning.

Speaking at the same event an hour later, Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis played down the Sena (UBT) leader's "empty threats." "They said they won't let Eknath Shinde enter Mumbai. But he came with 50 MLAs and went to Raj Bhavan and formed the government. When Bal Thackeray was alive, it (a shutdown) could happen. But these guys can't do it anymore," Fadnavis said.

Raut's remark followed the reunion of the Thackeray cousins -- Uddhav and Raj -- after a gap of 20 long years ahead of the high-stakes election to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC Election 2026). 

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"Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are brothers. Their mothers are sisters. This was a family matter. I am a friend to both sides. If I had any role in their reunion, then I feel fortunate," Raut said.

#NDTVPowerPlay | "Ideologies differ but nation comes first": Shiv Sena (UBT) Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) to @jitendradixit on reunion of Thackeray brothers ahead of #BMCPolls pic.twitter.com/hQYDBU4A9G

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On the ideological differences between the two cousins, he recalled past political moves when the Sena had united with the Congress despite differing on the Hindutva-secular agenda. Their (Thackerays') ideologies could be different, but they have united by prioritising the nation, said Raut, underlining the need for compromise for such alliance.

For the alliance, Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena must compromise on some matters, he said, pointing out that the politics of enmity will break the country.

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Together, the Thackerays become quintessential to the idea of Maharashtra, he indicated, asserting, "The Thackeray brothers are a brand. If Thackerays survive, Marathi Manoos will survive."

In view of the upcoming elections, he assured the people of Mumbai that they will get a mayor from the Thackerays' parties. "Raj and Uddhav are not different. We are one. The mayor will be ours," he said.

The senior UBT Sena leader also asserted that the Thackeray faction will never work with Eknath Shinde again, pointing to the former party colleague who had overtaken the Shiv Sena party from Uddhav Thackeray after a power struggle.