New Delhi: Amid the political upheaval in Maharashtra politics, a unique poster surfaced in streets of Mumbai on Monday, drawing attention of all. The message that the poster carried – turned many heads and also led to tongues wagging in political circles. The posters, reportedly put up by Maharashtra Navnirnam Sena (MNS), urged Raj Thackeray’s cousin Uddhav Thackeray to unite his party with the former to fight the bitter onslaught from BJP-Shinde led Sena combine. MNS’s nudge to Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) supremo Uddhav Thackeray assumes significance in wake of big political realignments in the state, which is expected to not just have a bearing on election results but also on the ‘existence’ of two big parties like Shiv Sena & Nationalist Congress party (NCP). #WATCH | MNS workers put up posters in Mumbai calling for MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray to unite amidst the political situation in Maharashtra. (Source: MNS) pic.twitter.com/1Mx9IkVz0K — ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2023 Though, MNS is yet to give any official statement but the posters drop enough hints of fast-paced politics taking shape in the state. Remember, first Shiv Sena saw a vertical split with Eknath Shinde walking away with majority of elected Sena MLAs and the now the NCP split threatens to destroy the party, steered by Sharad Pawar till date. ANI posted a video of the poster, pasted outside a petrol pump at Ram Ganesh Gadkari Chowk in Dadar West. For the unversed, Uddhav Thackeray & Raj Thackeray are son & nephew of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, who wielded enormous support in the state and even elected govts didn’t take chance to confront him or his support base. Raj & Uddhav, once under Sena supremo, chose to part ways over cold ties between the two. Raj claimed that he was marginalized in the party and was only given campaigning roles, in contrast to plum assignments for Uddhav. Raj was once seen as Balasaheb’s heir but later deserted the party claiming that Uddhav & his coterie were plotting against him and also had the blessings of party supremo. Uddhav took over as Shiv Sena in 2013, following Bal Thackeray’s demise. In 2022, the party split into two with Eknath Shinde, along with more than 40 MLAs breaking ranks with the party and formed govt in alliance with the BJP.
