Politics is truly unpredictable in todays times. Who has struck an alliance with whom, which leader has joined which party for greener pastures has stumped the political pundits. It has left followers astonished.
Who would have thought after twenty years the fiery and sometimes vitriolic Raj Thackeray would let bygones be bygonbes and reunite with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray? No one. To come together the The duo had a common platform – marathi and against Hindi imposition. Both issues which arouse lot of pulic deate and emotion.
And the duo coming together rattled the Mahayuti government under Devendra Fdanavis who despite having brute majority in the assembly had no option ut to revoke the government resolutions (GRs) issued on April 16 and June 17 on the contentious three-language policy, inducting Hindi as the third language in primary schools.
The first GR had made Hindi mandatory third language for students from Class 1 to 5, while the second one made it optional. The CM also announced the formation of a committee led by Dr Narendra Jadhav to take a relook into the three-language policy in primary sections.
This came after MNS and Shiv Sena ( UBT) threatened protests on hindi imposition. The government U- turn was massive win. Hence it was inevitable that Raj and Uddhav would reunite once again. And at the rally Raj and Uddhav echoed the same views visa vi on marathi, hindi , Maharashtra and Mumbai. So the common ground was laid perfectly for the unity. As both Raj And Uddhav shared stahe with their sons Amit and Aaditya there was one special guest – Baramati (MP) Supriya Sule.
The daughter of Maratha stalwart Sharad Pawar. Sule’s presence caught the eye. It remains to be seen what stand the wily old fox of Maharashtra politica Saharad Pawar takes on the reunion of the Thackeray’s. Sharad Pawar had depoiate ideological diffrence had a warm family rapport with the Thackeray’s – Balasaheb as well as his son Uddhav. How he reacts to Raj will be one to seen in the coming days.
The reunion of MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) will add more fireworks in the battle for the BMC polls scheduled soon with the BJP , Congress and NCP( SP) and others who are in the fray.
The reunion now puts Deputy CM Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena in a fix. With Nephew ( Raj) and son Uddhav Thackeray , Shinde’s claim of carrying forward Balasaheb legacy will be tested. It remains to be seen whom the people go for now . The battle for real Shiv Sena begins now. BJP mind you boasted of breaking the Shiv Sena with Eknath Shinde leading one- faction. But now with Thackeray’s uniting it has become a tricky sitiuation for the BJP to deal with.
BJP might be fuming or terming the reunionof Raj and Uddhav as desperate attempt to revive/ retain their base and save from political oblivion . But with deep down within they know what Raj and MNS can do on the streets and that is enough to test the triple engine Mahayuti Devendra fadnavis government. With speak marathi and not hindi becoming a flashpoint Maharashtra is in for dramatic rise in political temepratures in the days ahead . As Battle lines had been drawn. Watch this space.
