The Mahayuti government’s decision to make Hindi compulsory in Marathi- and English-medium schools seems to have united estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray after decades of friction.

Raj Thackeray, who broke away from the Shiv Sena to start the Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) in 2006, recently participated in a podcast with Marathi filmmaker-actor Mahesh Manjrekar, where he said he can set aside disputes with Uddhav for bigger interests of the state.

But there was a condition. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav should be ready for it.

“For me, the interest of Maharashtra is bigger and everything else is secondary before it. For that I can set aside minor disputes and I’m ready to work with Uddhav. Only question if he too is ready for it,” Raj said to Manjrekar when asked if the brothers will come together.

Speaking at a party programme Saturday, Uddhav Thackeray reacted to Raj’s overture, and said he was also ready to set aside disputes for Marathi language and Maharashtra.

Uddhav also had a condition. Raj’s proximity with the BJP has to be cut down.

“I, too, am ready to set aside minor disputes for the Marathi language and Maharashtra. I am ready to work together but he (Raj) should not host anti-Maharashtra people and parties any more, and take the oath in front of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” Uddhav said.

Both MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) are facing an electoral crisis in the state. In the Maharashtra Assembly election of 2024, MNS secured 1.6 per cent vote share, down from 2.3 per cent in 2019. Sena (UBT)’s vote share was 10 per cent in 2024.

On December 18, 2005, Raj Thackeray quit Shiv Sena and decided to form his own political outfit.

“I wouldn’t wish a day such as today even on my worst enemy. All I had asked for was respect. All I got was insult and humiliation,” Raj had said then.

Raj, a cartoonist like his uncle and founder of Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray, was expected to be the person who would lead the Sena in the absence of Bal Thackeray.

But he quit the party after being sidelined for a few years.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde in an interview last year said: “Raj Thackeray used to work with Balasaheb. During the 1995 elections, Raj Thackeray conducted all the tours and rallies. They were together; Raj Thackeray would hold separate rallies, and he would hold separate rallies. The entire atmosphere was built, but when the time came to give Raj Thackeray responsibility, Uddhav's intentions surfaced — just like how he desired to become the Chief Minister recently.. Raj Thackeray was sidelined. A proposal was brought in to make Uddhav the working president, and Raj Thackeray was removed. Balasaheb Thackeray never wanted Raj Thackeray to leave.”

Shinde later broke away from the Sena in 2022.

The state government's decision to make Hindi a mandatory third language for students of Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English-medium schools, based on the NEP’s three language policy, has created a political storm in the state.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said, “Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is trying to do his politics under the guise of language... he should understand that he is the chief of Maharashtra and Marathi is the state language. Marathi should be made compulsory. Marathi is number one language, state language, our mother tongue.”

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar termed the criticism as an attempt to stir “unnecessary disputes for lack of real issues.”