Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday (January 9, 2026) expressed displeasure with the Congress, which has split with his party for the upcoming civic elections in Mumbai and 28 other cities in Maharashtra. “You should ask the Congress. They suddenly broke ties with us without talking to me. Why did they do that?” he asked during an exclusive conversation with The Hindu. He also hit out at the BJP. “When I was forced to join hands with the Congress after they backstabbed me, they accused me of leaving Hindutva. Why did the BJP leave Hindutva in Ambarnath then?”
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader was referring to the Ambernath Municipal Council, where 12 Maharashtra Congress councillors, were suspended for allying with BJP. When asked about the fate of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra and the INDIA bloc at the national level, he said he would want to see all those fighting against the BJP to join hands.
Thackeray cousins unveil joint manifesto, Shiv Sena calls it ‘recycled’ promises
He expressed confidence in Shiv Sena (UBT)’s victory in the elections. When asked if he wants to see the Pawar family reunite too, Mr. Uddhav Thackeray, who had recently reunited with his cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray, said he wanted to see families everywhere “reunited”. Asked about the impact his reconciliation with Mr. Raj Thackeray would have on the 2029 election, he said, “I don’t want to speculate. I see good impact. Why should I think otherwise?”
