Tensions between former allies in Maharashtra politics surfaced once again as Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray addressed his strained ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Thackeray declared that all communication channels with the BJP were entirely severed following the turbulent developments of 2019, never to resume again. His pointed response came in reaction to remarks by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding past phone conversations between the two leaders.
Targeting Fadnavis at Sanjay Raut's Book Launch
Thackeray made these remarks in Mumbai on Saturday during the launch of a new volume titled 'Bodh Keertan', authored by Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentarian and executive editor of 'Saamana', Sanjay Raut. Rebutting Fadnavis's earlier banter, Thackeray took a sharp dig, observing that calls stopped reaching certain quarters altogether and that breakdown turned out to be final.
The Catalyst: CM Fadnavis's Remarks Two Days Earlier
The exchange was triggered by comments made two days prior at another book release event where Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray, and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray shared a platform. At that gathering, Fadnavis had lightheartedly remarked that he always answered affirmatively whenever Thackeray reached out. Fadnavis also noted that no calls arrived after 2019, adding that he had been waiting for one.
From the 2019 Rupture to the 2022 Political Split
The protracted political rift originated after the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, when the undivided Shiv Sena walked away from its long-time partnership with the BJP over disagreements regarding the chief minister's post. Relations plummeted further in 2022 following a deep fracture within the party, during which a faction led by Eknath Shinde joined hands with the BJP to assume power, permanently altering equations between Thackeray and his former alliance partner.
Themes in 'Bodh Keertan' and Raj Thackeray's Reflections
The newly unveiled volume, 'Bodh Keertan', compiles philosophical reflections and lived experiences from Raut's lengthy career. It also features a specific analytical essay concerning the address delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Addressing the audience, MNS chief Raj Thackeray traced Raut's journalistic trajectory across more than four decades and their long-standing association. Raj Thackeray recalled that during Raut's tenure at an earlier publication, he frequently published sharp critiques of the Shiv Sena, provoking irritation from party founder Bal Thackeray. However, Bal Thackeray ultimately respected that fierce independence, a trait that subsequently paved the way for Raut's appointment as the executive editor of the party's mouthpiece, 'Saamana'.
