Thackeray Cousins’ Reunion creating ripples in Maharashtra politics
A surprising thaw in the long‑standing rift between Maharashtra’s two most prominent Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, has set tongues wagging across the state’s fractious political landscape. Once bitter rivals since Raj Thackeray’s dramatic split from Shiv Sena in 2006, the cousins have been publicly embracing their shared Maratha heritage and hinting at a tactical rapprochement aimed at reclaiming ground in this year’s high‑stakes civic elections. The latest gesture came last week when Raj Thackeray, chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), drove to ‘Matoshree’—Uddhav Thackeray’s iconic residence in south Mumbai—to personally deliver birthday greetings to his 65‑year‑old cousin.…