Raj, Uddhav Thackeray unite to protest against Hindi imposition: Will the alliance last?

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray will hold a joint morcha on July 5, to protest against the imposition of Hindi on school students in Maharashtra. This will be the first time the cousins will be seen together on a political platform after two decades of bitter rivalry.

 

The development took place late night yesterday and it was decided that both the Thackeray cousins will join hands to hold a combined morcha, comprising party workers from both Senas and ardent supporters of the Marathi language. Earlier, both of them had decided to hold separate agitations. Raj was to address his morcha on July 6, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) morcha was scheduled for July 7.

 

Raj, however, had said that nobody is bigger than Maharashtra and the Marathi language. Uddhav had made similar comments, showing their inclination to work together on the issue of Hindi being made compulsory from first standard in schools. At present, state-run schools introduce Hindi and English from fifth standard. It was the Devendra Fadnavis government that made a decision to introduce oral classes for learning Hindi from first standard onwards.

 

The two Thackeray cousins coming together has been welcomed by their family members as well as opposition parties led by Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra. What remains to be seen is whether this alliance will last in the days to come, especially during the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections which are usually held after Diwali in the state.

 

Shiv Sena (UBT) faces a formidable challenge from united forces of the Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP (Ajit Pawar) alliance. It does not want to lose its hold on the BMC that it has been controlling for the past three decades – first in an alliance with the BJP until 2019 and then on its own for the next three years.

 

For Raj Thackeray who is keen on showing his political muscles, the municipal elections will be a great opportunity to showcase a strong performance. This can be brought to fruition if both Thackerays join forces, forge an alliance and fight the BMC elections together. Political analysts believe that if the cousins were to form an alliance, the Shiv Sena (UBT) will not need help from the Congress and NCP - Sharadchandra Pawar to retain its hold on the prestigious BMC.

 

India