In February 2008, Raj Thackeray led a violent movement [6] against migrants from the North Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in Maharashtra and more so in its commercial capital, Mumbai.
[7] At a rally in Shivaji Park, Raj warned that if the dadagiri (intimidating dominance) of these people (North Indians) in Mumbai and Maharashtra continued, he would be compelled to make them leave the metropolis.
[8] Raj was arrested along with a Samajwadi Party leader, Abu Azmi, but was released on paying a penalty of ₹15,000 (US$170).
His party, along with Shiv Sena banned Australian cricketers participating in IPL 3 from playing in Mumbai as a protest against the attack on Indian students in Australia.
[11] Jaya Bachchan, actor and MP of Samajwadi Party, during the music launch of the Hindi film Drona, said, "हम यूपी के लोग हैं, इसलिए हिन्दी में बात करेंगे, महाराष्ट्र के लोग मा'फ़ कीजिए।" [ISO: Hama Yūpī Kē Lōga Haiṃ, Isaliē Hindī Mēṃ Bāta Karēṃgē, Mahārāṣṭra Kē Lōga Mā'af Kījiē.]
Following this, Raj Thackeray declared that most of these workers had paid security deposits to the company, and he would meet Jet management to plead their case.
[15] Within 12 hours of Raj Thackeray's declaration, Jet chairman Naresh Goyal reversed the layoffs and reinstated the sacked employees.
Raj demanded that all telecom companies operating in Maharashtra start providing the service in Marathi also and set a deadline of 27 February 2010, after which his party MNS would launch an agitation.
In a major departure from the earlier held stand of traditional right-wing groups of Maharashtra, Raj Thackeray pointed out that a practical approach rather than an emotional one is the need of the hour.
[24] Raj reproached North Indian leaders for politicising Chhath Puja, a festival popular in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand calling it a "drama" and a "show of numerical strength".
He stated that the Chhath Puja was a political gimmick by some parties to attract the north Indian vote.
According to him, the incidents of violence involving members of his party have been unduly highlighted by North Indian politicians and journalists.
[31] However, during the 2024 elections, Thackeray changed his stance and reaffirmed his support for Narendra Modi and the NDA, after dismal governance of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra, the divisive politics played by INDI Alliance, and citing the NDA's work from on removing article 370, criminalizing triple talaq, construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, and the COVID-19 vaccination in India.
[33] While appearing on primetime TV show Aap Ki Adalat in April 2014, Thackeray targeted several political leaders on various matters.
He criticized Ajit Pawar for his comment on urinating into a dam when asked about resolving water crisis, and heavily slammed Samajwadi Party leaders Abu Azmi and Mulayam Singh Yadav for their anti-women views after making insensitive comments about rape.