Burying their political differences, estranged Thackeray cousins — Raj and Uddhav — have agreed to come together for a joint protest march on July 5 in Mumbai. The rally, aimed at opposing the imposition of Hindi in Maharashtra’s school curriculum, will begin at Girgaon Chowpatty and culminate at Azad Maidan.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande confirmed that both parties had mutually decided to hold a united rally instead of two separate marches. “I received a call from MNS chief Raj Thackeray suggesting we have one joint protest. I conveyed this to Uddhav Saheb, and without a moment’s hesitation, he agreed,” Raut said during a press briefing on Friday morning.

Shortly after, Deshpande also addressed the media. When asked whether this unity would extend to future elections, he said, “This decision is solely for the Marathi language issue. It’s about showing the unity of the Marathi Manoos. Whether we will align politically is something Rajsaheb will decide.” Notably, mid-day on Friday, had reported about the two leaders planning separate rallies despite shared anger over the language issue.