Mumbai:
Amid talk of a patch-up with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray today said will continue to be in touch with Uddhav about his health, but refused to indicate whether the family reunion will be followed with a political reconciliation.
"I don't want to speak. It's our personal matter, and you too should note and respect that," the MNS chief said today at a party function in Alibaug.
After a six-year-long cold war, Raj went to visit Uddhav in hospital on Monday. In fact, he drove the Shiv Sena executive president home in his silver Mercedes from Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital where Uddhav underwent an angiography. Raj spent half an hour inside the house - Matoshri - which was once a second home to him.
Sources say Uddhav may undergo angioplasty on Friday, and Raj will be present in hospital for the procedure.
After falling out with Uddhav and Bal Thackeray in 2006, Raj formed his own Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. The party did better than expected in the 2007 and 2012 civic polls in Maharashtra, and is being recognised as strong enough to play the role of kingmaker. If they team up, it could re-design politics in the state ahead of 2014, when, along with the general election, Maharashtra will vote for its next government. Sena workers believe that Raj and Uddhav should present a united front with the BJP to offer a formidable challenge to the incumbent combo of the Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP, who will be looking for their fourth consecutive term.