Raj Thackeray Returns to Sena Bhavan After 20 Years, Says It Feels Like Being Released From Prison

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Sunday made an emotionally charged visit to Shiv Sena Bhavan, nearly 20 years after he last stepped into the party headquarters that once shaped his political life. The visit comes at a crucial political juncture, marking a symbolic reunion following his renewed alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Speaking to reporters outside Sena Bhavan, Raj Thackeray described the moment as deeply personal. “I feel like I have come out of jail after 20 years because everyone is asking me the same question—how do you feel after coming here after 20 years,” he said, reflecting both nostalgia and the weight of history attached to the place.

Raj Thackeray reminisced about his long association with Shiv Sena Bhavan, noting that the memories linked to the structure span decades of his political and personal life. “I remember Shiv Sena Bhavan with great affection. It will take days to narrate those memories,” he said, recalling events dating back to 1977, the year the building was constructed.

Recounting a dramatic incident from the past, Raj referred to 1997, when stones were allegedly hurled at the Sena Bhavan during a Janata Party procession. He claimed that Shiv Sainiks responded in their own way. “Our Shiv Sainiks replied by throwing tube lights from above,” the MNS chief said, underlining the intense political climate of that era.

Raj Thackeray’s return to Sena Bhavan coincides with a significant political development in Maharashtra. In December, Raj and his cousin Uddhav Thackeray announced a pre-poll alliance for the upcoming civic body elections, nearly two decades after Raj quit the undivided Shiv Sena following differences with Uddhav and later formed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have joined hands for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections scheduled for January 15, along with polls to 28 other local bodies across the state. In Mumbai, the alliance also includes the Nationalist congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar, making the contest a high-stakes political battle.

This rare political reunion has drawn widespread attention, as it brings together estranged leaders ahead of one of the most important civic elections in the country. For Uddhav Thackeray, the BMC polls are particularly crucial, as he aims to regain control of India’s richest municipal body.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which has 227 elected members, was dominated by the united Shiv Sena continuously from 1997 until 2022. The upcoming election is therefore being viewed as a litmus test for the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance and its ability to challenge the ruling dispensation.

On January 15, elections will be held for 29 civic bodies across Maharashtra, including the BMC. The counting of votes will take place the following day. As campaigning intensifies, the ruling Mahayuti alliance has already secured 68 seats in these local councils unopposed, significantly raising the political stakes.

With emotions, alliances, and political legacies all converging, Raj Thackeray’s return to Sena Bhavan is being seen not just as a personal homecoming, but as a powerful political signal ahead of a fiercely contested civic election season in Maharashtra.