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 nota 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.

The senior BJP leader said no word was spoken about Marathi