After a gap of two decades, cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray came together at a public rally in Mumbai, sending a strong political message ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Both leaders said their unity is driven by concerns over Marathi identity and language.

Addressing the crowd, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray said Maharashtra’s language, land, and identity are under threat. He asserted that he does not oppose any language, but warned against what he called the imposition of Hindi in the state. “Uttar Pradesh has Bhojpuri and Bihar has Maithili. There is no language dispute, but no language should be forced on Maharashtra,” he said, adding that recent decisions by the government had hurt Marathi sentiments.

Raj Thackeray explained that the cousins’ reunion was triggered by what they see as a crisis in Mumbai. “We discussed this many times. When Hindi-related directives were imposed, both of us were upset, and that became the starting point,” he said. Referring to political alliances and alleged irregularities, he accused parties of coming together opportunistically and claimed that power was being acquired without public mandate in several places.

He also alleged that Mumbai is being reshaped by bringing people from outside the state, which, he said, is harming the interests of local Marathi residents. “This is about protecting our existence,” he told supporters, claiming that Marathi society is now “waking up.”

Speaking next, Uddhav Thackeray said the history of Shiv Sena is rooted in the fight for justice for Marathi people. “Earlier, I did not fully understand what injustice to a Marathi person meant. Today, I do,” he said. Responding to questions about whether the reunion was about political survival, Uddhav said, “Love for Marathi is in our blood. Whatever differences we had, we have buried them. We have come together for Marathi.”

The rally also sparked sharp reactions from the BJP. Responding to Raj Thackeray’s remarks, BJP leader K Annamalai said he was not afraid of threats. Speaking from Chennai, he said, “Who are they to threaten me? I am proud to be a farmer’s son. If I was afraid, I would have stayed in my village. I will come to Mumbai—try stopping me.”

Annamalai added that praising national leaders or calling Mumbai a world-class city does not diminish the role of Maharashtrians in building it, dismissing the criticism as ignorance.