Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday shared a stage with his estranged cousin, Raj Thackeray, for the first time in nearly 20 years and said they “have come together and will stay together”. The two cousins last shared the stage during an election campaign in 2005. Raj Thackeray then quit the Shiv Sena in the same year and founded the MNS in 2006.

Addressing a victory gathering, titled ‘Awaj Marathicha’, after the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government revoked the order introducing Hindi as a third language from class 1 in state schools, he said they “won’t let the government impose Hindi on them”.

“One thing is clear, we have removed the distance between us,” he said about the reunion with Raj Thackeray, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) boss.

He said everyone was “eagerly waiting” for their speeches since they announced the event.

“But in my view, we are both coming together, and this stage was more important than our speeches. Raj has already given a very outstanding speech, and I think there is no need for me to speak now,” he said.

Referring to Mr Fadnavis’s statement on the assault of a shopkeeper by MNS workers that “hooliganism” in the name of Marathi would not be tolerated, Uddhav Thackeray said they would keep doing “hooliganism” if they don’t get justice.

“Mr Fadnavis said we won’t tolerate hooliganism for language. If a Marathi manus (person) is asking for justice, and if you are calling us goons, then we are goons,” he said.

He also attacked the BJP and said that the two cousins will now throw it out of power in Maharashtra.

“Power comes and goes, but unity is strength,” he said.