Thackarey brothers, Uddhav Thackeray- Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Raj Thackeray, head of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), have decided to contest the coming elections of civic bodies together, according to Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut. These include high-stakes, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls as well. 

After nearly 20 years of estrangement, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray reunited at a massive "Victory Rally" in Mumbai, celebrating the Maharashtra government's decision to scrap the Hindi language policy in primary schools. On stage, they publicly renewed their ties. 

Raj Thackeray's visit to Uddhav's 'Matoshree' residence on his birthday underscored their strong relationship, as it was Raj’s second visit to the place in 20 years.

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Sanjay Raut said, “The Thackeray brothers will contest the civic polls together and they will win. Talks are already underway for several key municipal corporations, including Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, Kalyan-Dombivli, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. No evil force can now break the unity of the Thackerays.”

Reconciliation with Raj appears to be a relief for Udhav after Eknath Shinde’s revolt split Shiv-Sena into two, and a faction joined hands with the BJP. The development led to the collapse of the Maha-Vikas Aghadi government (MVA) in the state. 

Talking about the importance of civic polls and civic bodies in the state, Raut said that Udhav and Raj will contest and win the civic polls together under the banner of ‘Maharashtra and Marathi unity’.

Why Civic Bodies Are This Important

Thackarey brothers aim to consolidate Marathi votes at at least 10 civic bodies, spread across the Sena (UBT), MNS, and Shinde Sena. The BJP may be well-placed to have an upper hand. 
Udhav-led Shiv-Sena feels a weakening of hold on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after two decades. Forming an alliance wth Raj Thackarey and contesting polls under the banner of ‘Maharashtra and Marathi Unity’ is expected to benefit Udhav. Sena plays a major role in the Thane, Nashik, and Kalyan-Dombivli municipal corporations as well. 

How Important Is BMC

Udhav’s Shiv Sena's key urban strength is BMC, and Sena has been enjoying undivided control over the civic body for the last 25 years, building a grassroots level network, translating to votes in bigger polls. 

The Shiv Sena split led to the rise of Shinde Sena, significantly weakening Uddhav Sena's presence in Mumbai and elsewhere. Almost half of Uddhav Sena's 84 BMC corporators defected to Shinde's faction.

Since these corporators shifted to the Eknath Shinde faction, Udhav's impregnable fortress has become vulnerable to the BJP’s entry as it is swiftly increasing its grassroots network. 
For Shiv Sena (UBT), rule over BMC symbolises the party's urban authority and cultural identity. Losing BMC would prove a big blow to the party, hitting its operation and moral authority in urban Maharashtra. 

How Thane Plays a Key Role In Establishing Authority

Thane is an extension of Sena’s influence beyond Mumbai, considered its first urban bastion. Shinde has been becoming a threat to Sena’s (UBT) authority as he hails from Thane and has long been seen as the local strongman with control over civic bodies in the district.
A victory would not only revive Sena (UBT)'s credibility but also pose a direct challenge to Shinde in his stronghold, helping Thackeray to maintain their support among Marathi-speaking voters. 

How Nashik And Kalyan-Dombivli Are Pixels Of Bigger Picture

Civic bodies in both these cities have shown persistent support to the Sena and can help in consolidating core Marathi-speaking voters. 
Nashik, the first municipal corporation controlled by the MNS, gave a mandate to the party in 2009 Assembly polls and 2012 civic elections. 
Kalyan-Dombivli is also a Marathi-speaking voters-dominated area, with significant influence of the Sena.

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The Sena (UBT) and MNS camps aim to consolidate their traditional Marathi voter base and believe that this can help them keep BJP and other emerging forces in check.