In a rare sight, warring cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray came together publicly yesterday to remember Shiv Sena founder-patriarch late Bal Thackeray on his second death anniversary here.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray with his family members reached the Thackeray Memorial at Shivaji Park in the morning to pay homage to his father and sat there receiving visitors.
Around 1.20pm, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray arrived along with some party officials and paid homage.
Thereafter, he went to a small marquee where Uddhav his younger son Tejas, other family members and senior leaders were sitting. Raj greeted and shook hands with everybody before reaching cousin Uddhav.
The two cousins smiled and shook hands warmly even as senior Shiv Sena leader and former leader of opposition Ramdas Kadam urged Raj to sit next to Uddhav.
Raj sat on Uddhav’s left side, putting his right arm behind his cousin’s chair. The two were seen smiling, chatting like good old relatives separated only by political agendas.
Also yesterday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Uddhav for the first time in nearly three months at Bal Thackeray’s memorial.
Fadnavis with over half a dozen of his cabinet ministers and several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders arrived at the memorial and paid homage to Thackeray senior.
As Uddhav stood up, Fadnavis greeted him, warmly shook hands and sat beside him. The duo - belonging to parties which were allies for 25 years before they split on September 25 - spoke for a few minutes before Fadnavis left.
