CutTheClutter: Marathi unites Thackerays: What Uddhav gains from 'irrelevant' cousin Raj & impact in Maharashtra

Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj Thackeray, once estranged due to family rivalry and political competition, have reunited on stage, surprising many in Maharashtra politics.

Despite Raj Thackeray's diminished electoral success—only 1.78% vote share with zero seats recently—he retains influential "spoiler" power, capable of impacting election outcomes in certain constituencies through strategic vote division.

Uddhav appears to leverage Raj's charisma and notoriety, especially around Marathi language and cultural identity politics, to fortify his own political position ahead of the important 2024 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections.

However, this alliance faces uncertainties as Raj Thackeray has previously offered unconditional support to BJP-led NDA and lacks clear commitment.

The Thackeray dynasty exemplifies the typical decline of political dynasties by the third generation, struggling to maintain past clout amid complex family dynamics and evolving voter demographics in cosmopolitan Mumbai.

• Political dynasties typically lose two-thirds of their power by the third generation.
• This decline occurs across politics, corporate, and wealth dynasties universally.

• Marathi language politics faces challenges as Mumbai's native Marathi speakers slightly decreased by 2011.
• Hindi speakers grew significantly, altering demographic influence in Marathi politics.