Raj Thackeray In All-Party Team To Meet Poll Body, D Fadnavis Also Invited

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has written an open letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, inviting him to join an all-party delegation that will meet Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer S Chokalingam on October 14.

Raut described the meeting as a "formality," but said it was important to maintain dialogue with the "supreme institution in the democratic system."

The letter lists senior leaders such as Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray, and Harshvardhan Sapkal as part of the delegation, which will hold a joint press conference at Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan following the meeting.

In his letter, Raut urged Fadnavis to participate in the meeting, stating that doing so would strengthen public confidence in the Election Commission.

"This meeting is not political but an effort to strengthen people's trust in the election machinery," Raut wrote, adding that unity among all parties was essential in upholding democratic values.

The development comes at a time when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has been facing questions over its coherence and leadership. After the 2024 assembly election setback, cracks within the alliance became visible as the three constituent parties - Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar), and Congress - began pursuing separate issue-based agendas rather than acting as a cohesive bloc.

The upcoming meeting and the joint press conference mark the first instance in several months that top MVA leaders will be seen sharing a platform, signaling an attempt at reviving Opposition coordination in Maharashtra.

The letter also mentions MNS chief Raj Thackeray as part of the delegation. Raj's inclusion has added an unexpected dimension to Opposition dynamics, especially given the uncertainty surrounding his party's potential association with the MVA.

While Uddhav Thackeray has publicly expressed openness to working with his cousin, other MVA partners, particularly the Congress, have been hesitant due to ideological differences.

Raj Thackeray's party has never been in an electoral alliance since its formation in 2006. His decision to extend unconditional support to the BJP-led Mahayuti during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, without contesting a single seat, drew criticism both within and outside the alliance.

However, his recent coordination with UBT during the agitation against making Hindi a compulsory third language in Maharashtra appeared to narrow the rift between the two Thackeray factions.

Beyond politics, the renewed personal warmth between Raj and Uddhav Thackeray has been visible in recent months through multiple informal meetings.

The Congress remains cautious about the MNS' potential inclusion in the MVA fold, wary of the ideological implications. Yet, Raj Thackeray's local influence in urban pockets and civic polls continues to make him a politically significant player, enough to keep all sides attentive to evolving equations.

The mention of his name in Sanjay Raut's letter, alongside senior Opposition leaders, signals not just an outreach to the chief minister but also a soft revival of Opposition unity, with possible new alliances in the making ahead of the crucial local body polls.