Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Bala Nandgaonkar stated that he will try to bring estranged Thackeray cousins Uddhav and Raj together, if gets an opportunity. Nandgaonkar made these remarks to reporters after submitting his nomination as the MNS candidate for the Shivadi assembly seat in Mumbai, representing Raj Thackeray's party.
In response to whether he would make efforts to reconcile the Thackeray cousins, he stated, "I have done it before, and I will do it in the future if I get the chance."
He noted that while he is an MNS "sainik" (soldier), he also considers himself a "sainik" of the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. Nandgaonkar gained recognition in the 1990s as a giant-killer after defeating Chhagan Bhujbal, who had left the undivided Shiv Sena to join the Congress. He later left the Shiv Sena himself a decade later when Raj Thackeray had a falling out with Uddhav Thackeray. The MNS has declared candidates for over 50 of the 288 seats as Maharashtra prepares for assembly elections on November 20.