In Maharashtra, estranged political families are reuniting for strategic survival ahead of upcoming elections. The Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, have allied their Shiv Sena factions, while factions of the Pawar family's NCP are set to jointly contest local polls. These tactical alliances, driven by party worker pressure and the perceived threat of the BJP, aim to consolidate vote banks, curb defections, and boost morale for dynastic parties facing electoral challenges and organizational erosion.