The Thackeray brothers reunited after 20 years, coming together on Wednesday as they joined forces ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) declared an alliance for the upcoming BMC and other civic body polls, shortly after Uddhav and Raj Thackeray came together to pay tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray at Shivaji Park.
#WATCH | Mumbai | Thackeray brothers come together for a family photograph after they announce an alliance of their parties for the upcoming Municipal Corporation Elections. pic.twitter.com/CD4CzI9wIx
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2025
Speaking at a joint press conference alongside MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray underlined the lasting nature of the alliance, declaring, “We have come together to stay together.” He added that the tie-up was open to others, remarking that those who are uncomfortable with developments within the BJP are welcome to join the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance.
Can the Thackeray Reunion Turn the Tide in BMC Polls?
For workers of both parties, the development marks an end to years of political estrangement between the two cousins. The cadres are hopeful that after the setback in the Panchayat election, the BMC polls will deliver a more positive outcome for their parties.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey said, “Today is a historic day, where both (Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray) Thackeray brothers are coming together, on one platform, to save Mumbai… The way people want to loot Mumbai, want to keep it mortgaged to themselves, against that, we want to launch a public movement. The people of Mumbai want both Thackeray brothers to come together… We are fully confident that in the coming times, along with Mumbai, there will be the echo of a strong government of Shiv Sena and MNS in 28 other municipal corporations…”
Seat-Sharing Formula Finalised for Sena (UBT)–MNS Alliance
According to the functionaries of the Shiv Sena (UBT), the proposed seat-sharing arrangement for the BMC elections allots around 145 to 150 seats to the MNS, and about 10 to 12 seats to the NCP (SP).
Sena (UBT) has also agreed to give up 12 to 15 seats where it earlier had corporators in favour of the MNS; in many of these wards, the former corporators have since joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Raut said “the issue regarding Congress is currently closed, but Sena (UBT) will continue to talk to Congress till the end.” Congress has decided to go it alone in the BMC polls.
The Congress, which is allied with Sena (UBT) at the state level, has stayed out of the civic poll alliance but vies the reunion of the Thackery cousins as politically significant, arguing that it points to emerging cracks within the ruling Mahayuti.
Maharashtra State Election Commission has announced elections to 29 municipal corporations across the state, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Polling will be held on January 15, with counting set to take place on January 16.
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