'Fadnavis May Have Good Intentions, But Has No Power To Enact': Raj Thackeray
The second part of a joint interview of Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray was relayed on Friday.
Published : January 9, 2026 at 3:59 PM IST
Mumbai: In the second part of the joint interview, the Thackeray brothers Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) central leadership of a conspiracy to split Mumbai from Maharashtra.
However, in one of the recent rallies, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that Mumbai will always be integral to Maharashtra. Speaking to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, the cousins clarified that the statements made by Fadnavis are not very significant.
"Fadnavis's intentions are good, but he has no control over the situation," Raj said and upheld the undivided Shiv Sena's long-standing belief that there is a plot to split Mumbai from Maharashtra.
"You see, Mumbai is only being kept with the state (Maharashtra) for the sake of it. Look at how the culture of this city is being destroyed," he said.
Uddhav said, "They have planned well to take over Mumbai. See the track for the bullet train is being laid near Dharavi. See who has been given the Dharavi redevelopment project."
Raj said that is exactly what he has been trying to expose - the strategic land sale to specific businessmen. "During the Samyukta Maharashtra movement (struggle for united Maharashtra), there were a handful of wealthy businessmen in Mumbai who had demanded that Mumbai be separated from Maharashtra. Now, those five have increased to 50," he said, adding that there is a strategy to sell all the land around the megacity to a wealthy businessman.
"Why was an airport built at Vadhavan port (near Gujarat) in Palghar district? After some time, they will divert the domestic and international flights to Navi Mumbai. Then they will shift the cargo operations of the current airport to Vadhavan port and finally put the airport land up for sale. This is their plan," alleged Raj.
Raj criticised the BJP for "favouring two industrialists", mainly "Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani". Raj said, "After Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he got the Mundra Port. After becoming Prime Minister, Adani was given a lot more land and projects. If a government of another party was ruling and had favoured a particular industrialist, would the BJP have accepted it?"
Raj alleged that the Prime Ministers during Congress rule did not have a regional tag attached to them, but the current Prime Minister has. "Therefore, the amount of attention being given to Mumbai is a warning sign," said Raj.
Raut asked them about the BJP, saying the Mumbai Mayor will be a Hindu, and their campaign of appealing to Hindus specifically.
Uddhav countered saying, "Aren't Marathi people Hindus? Fadnavis should explain precisely the reason for making a distinction between Marathi and Hindu." He added, "During the Samyukta Maharashtra agitation, (former Prime Minister) Morarji Desai ordered the shooting of Marathi people. Wasn't he a Hindu? He had even asked the police to provide an explanation for firing the rounds. He was from Gujarat. However, unlike him, Balasaheb Thackeray saved Narendra Modi when the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had decided to remove him. Thackeray was a true Marathi manoos."
The Thackeray cousins also spoke on issues mentioned in their manifesto, such as Marathi-medium schools, Mumbai's pollution, and the promise of Rs 1500 for domestic workers. Raj alleged that the increasing influx of people from other states is creating difficulties in implementing good schemes in Mumbai.
Read More
