Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday made an emotional return to Shiv Sena Bhavan, nearly 20 years after he left the party to form the MNS. "I feel like I have come out of jail after 20 years because everyone is asking me the same question -- how do you feel after coming here after 20 years," Raj Thackeray told reporters at the party headquarters. Recalling decades of memories tied to the building, he added, "I have very fond memories of Shiv Sena Bhavan.
Raj Returns Amid Political Alliance
It will take days to narrate those memories," and recounted an incident from 1977 when stones were thrown during a Janata Party procession in 1997, adding that Shiv Sainiks had responded by throwing tube lights from above. Raj’s return comes at a politically significant time. Nearly two decades after leaving undivided Shiv Sena following differences with cousin Uddhav Thackeray, the two leaders announced a pre-poll alliance in December for the upcoming civic elections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have aligned for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation polls scheduled for January 15, along with elections to 28 other civic bodies.
In Mumbai, the alliance also includes Sharad Pawar-led NCP. The move marks a rare political reunion ahead of the high-stakes civic contest.
BMC Polls Heighten Political Stakes
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election is particularly crucial for Uddhav Thackeray, who seeks to regain control of the 227-member civic body, which the undivided Shiv Sena ruled from 1997 until 2022. Elections to 29 civic bodies will be held on January 15, with counting scheduled for the following day. So far, the ruling Mahayuti alliance has secured 68 seats unopposed across these civic bodies, intensifying political stakes as campaigning ramps up.