THE THACKERAY REUNION NO ONE SAW COMING

Uddhav and Raj Thackeray may be writing a new script — one of sub-regional unity and political survival

- BY SWATI CHATURVEDI | Special to Gulf News

Who doesn't love a good 'filmi' script? One of the classics - remember Deewar? Two brothers with totally different personalities, separated at a Mumbai bridge.

The memorable dialogue: “Mere paas maa hai” (‘Mother is on my side’ or literally ‘I have my mother’).

The possibility of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray - estranged for over two decades - coming together evokes the same breathless, starry fascination in Mumbai, and wariness in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dispensation. The two cousins are as different as chalk and cheese. Uddhav Thackeray, son of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, is a soft-spoken, gentle wildlife photographer. Raj the nephew brought into politics by Balasaheb is his firebrand doppelganger.

Decades have passed since they squared off for the legacy, with Balasaheb preferring his son Uddhav, prompting Raj to go off and form his own outfit. But together, they made a good team, complementing each other's strengths. Raj is an excellent communicator, known for his heavy-handed public speaking, often spicing up his speeches with PowerPoint slides and a sharp sense of copywriting. Uddhav is a skilled manager, which he showcased with his calm handling of the Covid pandemic during his tenure as Maharashtra's chief minister.

Back on the same page