Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and his wife Rashmi Thackeray were recently seen travelling on the executive class of a Vande Bharat Express. The Thackerays were returning to Mumbai from Konkan after the party's Jansamvad Yatra ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
After completing the Konkan leg of the Jansamvad Yatra, Uddhav Thackeray departed for Mumbai from Khed by the Vande Bharat Express. Milind Narvekar and MP Vinayak Raut accompanied Thackeray to Mumbai on the Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express, reported Hindustan Times.
The former Maharashtra Chief Minister stirred up quite the attention on the Vande Bharat Express as his co-passengers surrounded him to take selfies on the train.
Ashutosh Dubey, who claims to be the Maharashtra BJP's Head of Social Media Legal & Advisory Department, posted on X that Uddhav Thackeray and Rashmi Thackeray expressed their gratitude to PM Narendra Modi during their Vande Bharat journey.
The tour started from Raigad and reached Sawantwadi in Tal Konkan. While in Ratnagiri, he said that the Ratnagiri seat must remain with Shiv Sena UBT in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the 'traitors should be taught a lesson in the subsequent elections', reported Marathi media website Lokmat.
Uddhav Thackeray's Jansamvad Yatra was aimed at increasing his supremacy in Konkan in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The Shiv Sena UBT leader was in the North Konkan district of Raigad on February 1 and 2. From there he visited the twin districts of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg on February 4 and 5. During these four days, Thackeray addressed a series of meetings and held discussions with the locals. These districts have been the traditional support base of the Shiv Sena.
The Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency is represented by Shiv Sena UBT leader Vinayak Raut in Lok Sabha. Raigad on the other hand is held by NCP's Sunil Tatkare, a member of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction.
Union Minister and BJP leader Narayan Rane also has a strong hold on Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts.