Maharashtra will now follow the Thackerays, declares Raut at joint protest in Nashik
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray unite to highlight farmer distress, teacher issues, and law-and-order concerns, signaling a renewed political push ahead of upcoming local body elections
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) jointly staged a 'Jan Aakrosh' protest in Nashik on Friday (September 12), targeting the Mahayuti government led by Devendra Fadnavis on multiple issues.
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'Jan Aakrosh' protest
Addressing the gathering, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said that from now on, all programmes in Nashik would be held jointly by the two parties.
"Two brothers have come together, and workers of both parties have united. As a result, Maharashtra will now follow the Thackerays. Nashik has given this message," Raut declared.
He underlined the shared roots of the parties, remarking, "The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS have the same origin and the same guardian — Balasaheb Thackeray. So, the ruling parties must be careful when dealing with us."
The 'Jan Aakrosh' march began from Bhalekar High School ground and culminated at Hutatma Chowk. Leaders said the agitation was aimed at drawing attention to farmer concerns over Minimum Support Price, problems faced by teachers and the deteriorating law and order situation in Nashik.
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Show of strength
Raut also raised the murder case of Rahul Dhotre, alleging the state government had failed to apprehend an absconding corporator allegedly involved in the crime.
Taking a dig at Chief Minister Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, Raut said, “If the corporator cannot be arrested, or if the government cannot identify who is protecting him, then the home minister must resign.”
Senior MNS leader and former MLA Bala Nandgaonkar added that the government could not ignore the protest, warning that the show of strength by both parties would spread to every district and taluka in Maharashtra.
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Thackerays unite
The Thackerays had earlier shared a stage on July 5 in Mumbai to celebrate what they called a "victory" after the Maharashtra government withdrew its controversial three-language formula for students of Classes 1 to 5, amid charges of Hindi imposition in a predominantly Marathi-speaking state.
Raj Thackeray had broken away from the undivided Shiv Sena in 2005, blaming Uddhav for sidelining him. However, the dismal performance of both parties in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections appears to have pushed the estranged cousins towards rapprochement in an effort to carve out political space in the state.
Local body polls across several cities, including Nashik, have been pending since early 2022 and are expected to be held in the coming months.
(With agency inputs)