Shiv Sena Reunion Sanjay Raut Invites Shinde Sena Leaders To Meet Uddhav Thackeray

Nearly four years after the Shiv Sena split, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut Tuesday publicly asked Eknath Shinde-led Sena leaders, who have been dissatisfied with the BJP, to meet Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree. The remarks mark the first direct outreach by the Uddh... The remarks mark the first direct outreach by the Uddhav camp to leaders who left the Shiv Sena during the 2022 rebellion. “If some people have realised what the BJP really is, if their self-respect has awakened, and if they believe the BJP is against the interests of Maharashtra, farmers and Marathi people, they should come to Matoshree and meet Uddhav Thackeray,” Raut told reporters. The remarks also came a day after Shiv Sena Minister Abdul Sattar criticised the BJP and said the Shinde-led Sena and Sena (UBT) should come together. Sattar’s comments followed discontent within sections of the Shinde-led Sena over the Legislative Council election seat-sharing arrangement. Speaking to reporters, Raut said there could not be “two Shiv Senas”. “There is only one Shiv Sena — the one founded by Balasaheb Thackeray and led by Uddhav Thackeray,” he said. The comments are significant because leaders of the Uddhav-led Sena (UBT) have largely ruled out reconciliation since Eknath Shinde’s rebellion in June 2022 split the party and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. While leaders from both camps have occasionally spoken of the possibility of reconciliation, Raut’s remarks are the most direct public invitation so far to the Shinde-led Sena leaders. The latest round of political sparring was triggered by developments in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections. In the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Jalna local authorities constituency, which was allotted to the BJP under the Mahayuti seat-sharing arrangement, Sameer Sattar, son of Abdul Sattar, filed his nomination as an Independent candidate. On Monday, Sattar publicly accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to weaken the Sena and claimed that the party had steadily reduced the Sena’s political space. He also said the two Sena factions should come together. His remarks were welcomed by Sena (UBT) MLC and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, who said he, too, would like to see the two factions reunite, though the decision was not his alone to make. The discussion drew further attention on Tuesday after Sattar and Danve briefly met on the Samruddhi Expressway when their convoys crossed paths. Photographs of the meeting circulated widely on social media. However, there was no indication from either side that any political discussion took place during the brief interaction. Vallabh Ozarkar is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized as an authoritative and deeply knowledgeable voice on the politics, governance, and infrastructure of Maharashtra. With more than nine years of experience in major news organizations, his reporting delivers high standards of Expertise and Trustworthiness. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Senior Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai bureau. Geographical Specialization: Provides exclusive and detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, operating at the epicenter of the state's decision-making in Mumbai. Core