Mumbai, Jul 16: Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray today underwent an angiography and was later driven home by his estranged cousin, MNS chief Raj Thackeray, giving rise to speculation of ‘thaw' between the two.
Uddhav was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital in suburban Bandra after he complained of chest pain. The angiography (to unblock blood vessels) was performed shortly thereafter.
On hearing the news, Raj, who was on way to Alibaug to attend a party meet, rushed back and went to the hospital, party sources said.
When Uddhav was discharged, Raj was seen driving the Sena leader to ‘Matoshree', the residence of the Thackeray family in Bandra.
The two cousins, who regularly take potshots at each other, had last met in 2008, when Raj had gone to ‘Matoshree' to meet ailing Sena chief and his uncle Bal Thackeray.
Though the cousins were seen together today, Shiv Sena sources said nothing political should be read into the development. “This only shows that blood is thicker than politics,” a party leader said.
Uddhav, who will turn 52 later this month, has been handling the party affairs since 2004.
In 2005, Raj quit Shiv Sena and formed a new political outfit the next year, blaming Uddhav and his “coterie” for the ills afflicting his uncle's party.
