NEW DELHI: As talk of a political reconciliation between estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray swirls once again, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Thackeray has offered a reality check: alliances aren’t forged over press briefings, they need real conversation.“Two brothers should speak,” said Amit, son of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, on Thursday. “We speaking about it won’t change anything. They both have each other’s numbers. If there’s genuine interest, make the call.”The remark comes after weeks of growing hints from both the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS suggesting the possibility of a tie-up, nearly 20 years after Raj walked out of the original Shiv Sena in 2006 to form his own party.Raj Thackeray recently said reuniting for the sake of the Marathi manoos would not be difficult. Uddhav responded in kind, stating he was open to setting aside “trivial fights”, as long as the alliance didn’t entertain forces working against Maharashtra’s interests.Amit Thackeray, who faced defeat in his 2024 Assembly debut, recalled past attempts at rapprochement, notably in 2014 and 2017, that didn’t materialise. He also reminded reporters of Raj Thackeray’s support to then-CM Uddhav during the pandemic.But in a jab clearly aimed at Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, Amit added, “The one who speaks in the morning… whom are you fooling?” Raut had earlier expressed optimism about the alliance, claiming his party is “ready to sacrifice everything” for Maharashtra.Meanwhile, MNS leader Prakash Mahajan raised the stakes, saying if Uddhav’s party is serious, Aaditya Thackeray, not a junior leader, must take the lead and meet Raj.