Raj expressed considerations over the rising inhabitants of outsiders within the Thane district, which, he stated, had the very best variety of municipal firms in any area—eight. Saying this, he claimed North Indians had been flocking to the world not solely to make a residing but in addition to spice up the voting inhabitants with their variety.

“Right this moment, the individuals coming to Maharashtra usually are not simply coming to make a residing, but in addition to extend their voter depend. At the least 56 trains from the North come to Mumbai each day and return empty,” he stated. “Municipal firms are arrange in keeping with inhabitants. Thane district has the utmost variety of firms—eight, together with the Palghar district—whereas Mumbai has one and Pune has two. The rising inhabitants is a results of outsiders coming and rising their voting inhabitants.”

In the course of the Saamana interview, the once-estranged and now-reunited Thackeray brothers spoke at size on a number of points. These ranged from potential causes behind uncontested election victories in Maharashtra to Mumbai’s rising AQI (Air High quality Index), which they referred to as “a results of town-planning failure”. Additionally, they questioned the “double requirements” of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s accusations of corruption in opposition to them, with out checking into “his Pawar-laden yard”—a reference to the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Get together (NCP).

In the identical interview, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray stated that whereas the upcoming elections appeared like a Marathi vs Marathi combat, the BJP has its allies in its palms, and so they now “work within the grasp’s place”.

Moreover, Raj countered the CM’s latest “corruption and confusion-yuti” dig on the brothers, saying, “Fadnavis shouldn’t make feedback on corruption. They have been those who took ‘bail gadi (bullock cart)’ for Ajit Pawar, and now, they are saying that the court docket case continues to be ongoing.”

Of late, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and his household have acquired vital reduction in long-standing authorized circumstances involving benami belongings.

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Additionally Learn: Inner combating noticed Mahayuti & MVA type unlikely ties in some seats. How they fared in Maharashtra

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Marathi ‘manoos’ vs North Indians

The 2 brothers, within the interview, stated that Maharashtra and Marathi ‘manoos (individuals)’ have been above all the pieces else for them. This was why they’d reunited after 20 years, they claimed.

“These individuals are nonetheless attempting to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra—similar to in the course of the period of the Samyukta Maharashtra motion—once they have been planning to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra and Gujarat had requested for Mumbai,” Raj stated, talking concerning the motion for a united Maharashtra that had unfold like wildfire throughout the area, together with in Mumbai metropolis, within the Fifties.

“Now these individuals are making coercive statements that the mayor shall be a North Indian or Hindu,” Raj warned, including, “Right this moment, they’re on the Centre; they’re on the state; if they arrive to the companies, Marathi manoos shall be helpless, tomorrow.”

“We can not watch all this unfold helplessly; that’s the reason we have now come collectively,” Raj stated, calling for renewed efforts to show the tide.

Talking on related traces, Uddhav marked the historical past of the Sena, which his father, Bal Thackeray, based in 1966 to deliver the ‘Sons of the Soil’ below one umbrella.

The Sena, he recalled, was fashioned six years after the Samyukta Maharashtra motion.

The social gathering, thought of an extension of the motion, rallied for the financial rights of  Marathi ‘manoos’ after Maharashtra’s creation in 1960.

“After the motion ended, between 1960 and 1966, the state of affairs Raj simply defined had been created, and folks have been shedding morale. The Shiv Sena was based with the ideas of building the spirit and consciousness of the Marathi individuals and to provide them extra energy,” Udhhav stated.

The Samyukta Maharashtra motion had introduced collectively Marathi leaders—primarily from the Left events—who pressed for the creation of a Marathi-speaking state, with Bombay at its core. The Thackeray brothers’ grandfather, Keshav Thackeray, popularly often called Prabodhankar, was one of many motion’s key figures and influenced the younger cartoonist, Bal Thackeray. Within the aftermath of the state’s creation in 1960, Prabodhankar had finally left the multi-party organisation that led the motion as a consequence of variations with its communist members.

“Whereas in politics, individuals at all times transfer out and in of events and coalitions are made and damaged. However right here, they weren’t simply attempting to interrupt the Shiv Sena however utterly dissolve it and take away its total existence,” Uddhav Thackeray stated within the interview.

On unopposed elections & air air pollution

A number of Mahayuti candidates have been declared winners unopposed within the Pune Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Company, amongst others, following a mass withdrawal of nominations by rival candidates. Uddhav has some ideas on these elections—“Why are these candidates not from our events or from Pawar sir’s Nationalist Congress Get together or any Impartial? That can not be only a coincidence.”

On this challenge, Raj hinted at candidates being bribed to tug again nominations, saying, “NOTA is just not an possibility as a result of the remaining have been paid ‘Nota (notes)’.”

For one more challenge—the air high quality index in Mumbai—Uddhav blamed development of increasingly high-rises and bridges, the Metro’s enlargement, and dug-up roads, all “below the pretence” of growth. “Improvement is required, however not all on the identical time. That results in air pollution. There’s mud and cement particles all around the metropolis,” he stated.

“There are numerous redevelopment initiatives in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Panvel, and neighbouring areas. However there isn’t any city planning. That’s destroying town and the air high quality. Pune is being destroyed at a quicker fee,” Raj stated in a rejoinder.

“From the time that Uddhav’s authorities collapsed in June 2022—a number of months earlier than that—the companies have been dissolved. From 2022 to 2025, no elections. Now, in 2026, elections occur. I’ll, within the upcoming days, give an in depth interview explaining why there was a four-year delay and what the planning was behind this. Particularly what they deliberate in a single yr, 2024 to 2025,” Raj added.

(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)

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Additionally Learn: BJP’s sweep, increase for Shinde, MVA’s fall—what native physique polls say about energy play in Maharashtra

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