MUMBAI, June 9 -- After Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray added fuel to the growing speculation of a potential reunion with his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray, ahead of local body elections in the state, party leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray has the rumour mill working overtime. After a function to felicitate students who had cleared the Class X 10 and 12 exams, Aaditya said it was time for all parties working for Maharashtra to join hands. "Adani and BJP are tightening their grip on Mumbai and Maharashtra, and it needs to be stopped. All parties working for Marathi, Mumbai and Maharashtra should come together," he said at a function organised by Bandra East MLA Varun Sardesai on Sunday. On Friday, Aaditya's father Uddhav had alluded to speculation about a reconciliation between Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT), saying, "What Maharashtra wants will happen." Now, Sena (UBT) leader Chandrakant Khaire said relatives of the Thackeray cousins are in back-door discussions. "Relatives of both cousins are in discussions, and party workers from both parties are expressing the need for a reunion," said Khaire. There has been talk of a potential patch-up between the Thackerays since April. After a month's silence, Uddhav on Friday indicated that the MNS and Sena (UBT) may indeed join forces for the upcoming elections. Meanwhile, on Sunday Uddhav held a meeting of leaders to review the situation on ground. He asked party leaders to take programmes to voters and citizens, and organise functions. "Our party workers and leaders should be seen on ground contacting people, raising their voice on their issues," Uddhav said. It was against this backdrop that Khaire on Sunday indicated that relatives of the Thackerays were trying to broker a patch-up. "The people of Maharashtra want to see both cousins working together. Everyone who has known Chandumama Vaidya (the Thackerays' uncle) for years wants this to happen. He along with other relatives are in the process of back-door discussions on a possible alliance of the two cousins," said Khaire. He said party workers from both political parties have been pressuring their respective leaders to reunite. "Due to the politics of defection by BJP and Shiv Sena led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, party workers of Sena (UBT) and MNS were upset. But the possibility of a reunion of the Thackerays has created hope for them. They feel that once the cousins unite, it would be a setback for the BJP and Shinde," said Khaire. Another leader said that along with Chandumama Vaidya, another person involved in the back-door discussions was Shridhar Patankar, brother of Rashmi Thackeray, Uddhav's wife. Anil Parab, close aide of Uddhav, is also playing a role as he plays a key role in the BMC elections....