Mira Road: In what is being described as a politically significant development in the Mira-Bhayandar region, leaders from Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) shared the same stage fuelling speculation about a possible rapprochement between estranged Thackeray cousins.

The occasion was the inauguration of a new Shiv Sena public relation office in ward No. 14 of the Kashimira area. What caught the attention of attendees and political observers alike was a prominent banner displayed at the event that read, "We've made up our minds... Thackeray Bana!"—a slogan interpreted by many as a symbolic call for unity.

The banner featured images of both Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, along with prominent local leaders from Shiv Sena and MNS. The presence of senior functionaries from both camps—such as Shiv Sena's former MP Rajan Vichare, senior leader Vinod Ghosalkar and MNS Mira-Bhayandar city president Sandeep Rane—further added weight to the speculation.

“This is more than just a photo-op. The future and development of Maharashtra demands that Uddhavji and Rajsaheb come together. This moment reflects the will of the people and the workers on the ground,” Rane said at the event.

Echoing similar sentiments, Vicahre said “People have tried all kinds of leaders and parties over the years. It’s time the Thackeray brothers are given a chance together. The energy among party workers is palpable, and the slogan ‘Thackeray Bana’ isn’t just rhetoric—it could be the beginning of a new political equation.”

The coming together of the local leadership of the two parties has set the stage for a potential pre-poll tie-up ahead of the crucial municipal corporation elections.

Political analysts suggest this could be a “trial balloon” or a “grassroots experiment” to test the waters for broader unity between the Thackeray-led factions. “This development is not accidental,” said a Mumbai-based political commentator. “It’s the first gravitational pull between two forces that have long shared ideological roots but took divergent paths.”