India, May 15 -- Reunion buzz among two factions of the state's once powerful parties - the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) -- is gathering pace in anticipation of elections to 687 urban and rural local bodies later this year. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has been reaching out to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray while NCP (SP) is attempting to reconnect with its breakaway faction led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

The speculations over a reunion between the Thackeray cousins - Raj and Uddhav - started after the former's remarks in a podcast with filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar last month. In the interview, Raj said he could work with Uddhav "in the interest of Maharashtra" which led the latter to express that h...