Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Prakash Mahajan has said if the Shiv Sena (UBT) is really serious about an alliance between the two parties, then its leader Aaditya Thackeray should take the lead and meet Raj Thackeray. A leader of "appropriate" stature in the Shiv Sena (UBT), headed by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, should go to MNS president Raj Thackeray for discussions on a possible tie-up, Mahajan asserted on Wednesday. If a junior leader is sent for talks, then Raj Thackeray will also send a junior functionary, he maintained. "If an alliance really has to happen, then Aaditya Thackeray should take the lead and understand the views of Raj saheb. Both sides will understand the seriousness if Aaditya Thackeray goes (for talks). There is a common feeling among Marathi people to come together," he said. Former state minister Aaditya Thackeray is the son of Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray. On Tuesday, Aaditya Thackeray said if anyone wants to come toget
In a sharp attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, senior BJP minister Girish Mahajan on Tuesday dubbed him a "broker" and a political enemy of Uddhav Thackeray who is chipping away at the party organisation. Mahajan's retort stemmed from Raut's scathing attack on the former, believed to be a close aide of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Raut had said Mahajan would be the first leader to desert the BJP when it loses power. "Uddhav Thackeray does not need any political enemy to destroy his party as Sanjay Raut is enough for this job," Mahajan, who holds the water resources portfolio in the Fadnavis cabinet, told reporters. The senior BJP MLA from north Maharashtra alleged that "brokers" like Raut have driven away leaders and grassroots workers from the Shiv Sena (UBT). "The way Raut pushed Thackeray closer to Sharad Pawar and the Congress (after the 2019 assembly elections when BJP and Sena parted ways); he has inflicted the maximum damage on his own party," Mahajan said. If .
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday said his party responded to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's call for rapprochement and that seniors from that party should step up to take it forward. Talking to reporters, Thackeray said his party welcomes whoever is opposed to the anti-Maharashtra BJP. When they talked about it, we responded. Their seniors should come forward. We are there where we were (in the past). For the betterment of the country, Maharashtra and society, we welcome those with an open heart who are against the anti-Maharashtra BJP and (Eknath) Shinde, Thackeray said. Last month, cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating they could ignore trivial issues and join hands, nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways. Uddhav, however, had put a condition that Raj should have no truck with the BJP or the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. While the MNS chief has said that uniting in the interest
Raj Thackeray has said that efforts to erase Pawar and Thackeray names from Maharashtra politics will fail. He also hinted at unity with Uddhav, stressing Marathi pride over political differences
Addressing a press conference, Raut spoke on the Supreme Court rapping ED over the TASMAC raids in Tamil Nadu.
A senior MNS leader has said his chief Raj Thackeray would consider an alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) only if a concrete proposal is put forward, noting their previous overtures for a tie-up were met with betrayal. Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Sandeep Deshpande of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) referred to Raj Thackeray's recent interview where he signalled openness to have talks with the Sena (UBT), headed by his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray, for a political alliance. Local body elections in Maharashtra, including for civic corporations of Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, Nagpur and Pune, are slated to be held later this year. If the Shiv Sena (UBT) feels an alliance with the MNS is possible, they should come forward with a substantial proposal. Raj Thackeray will take a decision on it, he maintained. Deshpande recalled past instances when the MNS had initiated tie-up talks, but faced what he called betrayal. Be it in 2014 or 2017, we sent proposals but they betrayed
The veteran NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal's return to power marks a strategic move amid OBC-Maratha tensions, caste census politics, and his own turbulent but enduring career in Maharashtra
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attending events in Mumbai and campaigning in Bihar even as the Central government is talking about giving a "befitting" reply to Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack. Raut also demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation for a "security lapse". "A big massacre took place in Kashmir. Our Prime Minister said Pakistan will be taught a lesson, but just days later, he was in Mumbai, spending nine hours with Bollywood celebrities. He also campaigned in Bihar and inaugurated a port belonging to Gautam Adani (in Kerala)," Raut told reporters. The prime minister was in Mumbai on Thursday at the inauguration of the first World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES). Raut alleged the prime minister's demeanour does not reflect the seriousness of someone preparing to retaliate against Pakistan. "While he is in a 'khush mijaaz' (cheerful) mood, we are worried about how to respon
The contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, violates the landmark Supreme Court judgment on the "basic structure" doctrine of the Constitution, a senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader has claimed. Sanjay Lakhe Patil, secretary of the Uddhav Thackeray-led opposition outfit, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of deliberately trying to dismantle the spirit of communal harmony -- what he described as the 'Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb' or unifying composite culture-- by creating divisions among communities. The Sena (UBT) functionary made these remarks while addressing a gathering organised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board's Jalna unit on Thursday. He claimed the new amendment in the Waqf Act, passed by Parliament last month, violates the landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment by the Supreme Court, which laid down the "basic structure" doctrine of the Constitution. The 1973 Kesavananda Bharati judgement on basic structure doctrine had clipped the vast power of Parliament to amend the ...
Recent bonhomie among the Thackeray cousins, Pawar clan engagements, amid purported friction between Fadnavis and Shinde, could shape the contours of local body polls, writes ADITI PHADNIS
Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora on Friday targeted the Shiv Sena (UBT) over the absence of its legislators at the all-party meeting the Centre convened on the Pahalgam terror attack, saying that it was shameful but expected. Taking to X, Deora said, "Shameful but expected, not a single UBT MP turned up for the all-party meeting on the #Pahalgam terror attack. When the nation needs one voice on security, those who bark into mics daily suddenly fall silent." Party leader Arvind Sawant wrote to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju ahead of the all-party meeting called by the government on the attack, as he informed him about his and Sanjay Raut's inability to attend it. Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant had written to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju ahead of the all-party meeting called by the government on the attack on Thursday and informed him about his and Sanjay Raut's inability to attend it. Raut is a Rajya Sabha MP of the party. He said both of them were on an official t
Raj Thackeray hinted at a possible reconciliation with cousin Uddhav amid growing concerns over Marathi identity and opposition to the state's Hindi language policy, setting the stage for major shift
The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday said the Congress must talk about the status of the INDIA bloc and should have addressed questions about the opposition alliance in the party's recent meeting in Ahmedabad. In an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Sena (UBT) pointed out that the Congress only spoke about itself in the Ahmedabad meet, and INDIA or Bharat was nowhere in the discussion. "Questions are being raised about where the INDIA bloc stands after the Lok Sabha election. The Congress needed to address this in its Ahmedabad session," the editorial said. "What happened to the alliance? Did it get buried in the ground or vanish into thin air? The responsibility to answer this question lies with the Congress president," it said. The Congress held its session on April 8-9 in Gujarat, where it has been out of power for two decades. Senior Congress leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, addressed party workers. The Sena
Bombay High Court has granted comedian Kunal Kamra protection till April 17. The next hearing will take place on April 16
This comes soon after Kamra moved the Bombay High Court seeking the quashing of the FIR
The development comes shortly after Kamra failed to appear before Mumbai Police despite being summoned thrice in the same case
Shiv Sena functionary Rahool Kanal on Saturday claimed BookMyShow has taken stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra off the sale and artists list from its platforms. Kanal, the social media in-charge of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, thanked BookMyShoew CEO Ashish Hemrajani for keeping its portal "clean and keeping such artist out of the list of pure entertainment". When contacted, BookMyShow team said they have no comments to offer as of now. "I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your continued support of you team to take the said artist out of your sale and promotion listing, thank you for even taking him out of the book my show search history. Your belief in maintaining peace and at the same time respecting our emotions has been instrumental," Kanal stated in a letter to Hemrajani. He said Mumbaikars love and believe in every form of art but not personal agendas. "Your personal touch and guidance by your team were invaluable in navigating and reaching a solution. "We deeply va
A banker from Navi Mumbai was on a trip to Tamil Nadu and Kerala but had to return early after Mumbai Police summoned him for questioning in a defamation case against Kunal Kamra
With battle lines clearly drawn, the Parliament debate is expected to be heated as the incumbent NDA government and the Opposition face off over the implications of the Waqf Amendment Bill
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questions Maharashtra government's reaction to Kunal Kamra's remarks, saying the comedian never named Shinde. Owaisi says selective application of law is the real betrayal