On Saturday, Sanjay Raut, a prominent leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), expressed optimism regarding a potential alliance with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, aimed at benefiting the Marathi community. Speculations about a possible reconciliation between the estranged cousins, Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, have been circulating since last month, suggesting they might overlook certain issues for the greater good of Marathi speakers. This comes after nearly two decades of a bitter split between the two factions.

Raut emphasized that Shiv Sena (UBT) is favorably inclined towards an alliance with MNS, which is colloquially referred to as 'Manse' in Marathi. He remarked to reporters, "Uddhavji's stance on collaborating with Raj Thackeray is both 'Manse' and heartfelt." The local body elections in Maharashtra, including those for municipal corporations in Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, Nagpur, and Pune, are scheduled for later this year.

Previously, senior MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande stated on Thursday that Raj Thackeray would consider an alliance with Shiv Sena (UBT) only if a solid proposal is presented. He noted that past attempts at collaboration were perceived as betrayals. Deshpande remarked, "If Shiv Sena (UBT) believes an alliance with MNS is feasible, they must come forward with a concrete proposal. Raj Thackeray will make the final decision." He recalled previous instances where MNS initiated discussions for alliances but faced what they termed as 'betrayal.'