BJP hits out at Uddhav, Raj spared after show of unity

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday took a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, who held a joint event with his estranged cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, saying the rally was not a victory celebration but a “rudali darshan” (watching professional mourner in action).

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran

The Thackeray cousins shared the public stage at a victory rally in Mumbai to celebrate the rollback of two government resolutions issued earlier by the Fadnavis-led government introducing Hindi as a third language from class 1 in state schools. The event was originally planned as a protest against the Mahayuti government's decision.

"The rally was not Vijay utsav but a 'rudali' darshan," Fadnavis said, thanking MNS chief Raj Thackeray for crediting him in reuniting the Thackeray cousins.

Addressing the event, Raj credited Fadnavis, albeit in a lighter vein, for bringing together the two cousins which even Bal Thackeray could not do. "Balasaheb Thackeray must be blessing me," Fadnavis said.