Raj Thackeray’s ‘rasmalai’ jibe at Annamalai sparks controversy ahead of BMC polls

Mumbai: With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election campaign entering its final and most intense phase, political rhetoric has sharply escalated in Maharashtra. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray’s sarcastic reference to BJP leader K Annamalai as “rasmalai” during a campaign speech has triggered a fresh political controversy, adding to the charged atmosphere ahead of polling.

Addressing an election rally, Raj Thackeray took a swipe at Annamalai over his recent remarks in Mumbai. Without naming him directly, Thackeray said someone from Tamil Nadu had come to Mumbai and claimed that Bombay is not a Maharashtra city and that Mumbai has no connection with Maharashtra. Questioning Annamalai’s presence and authority to comment on the city, Thackeray invoked old Shiv Sena slogans from the 1960s and 1970s, including “hatav lungi bajav pungi,” to underline his criticism and reinforce regional pride.

Thackeray’s remarks were widely seen as an attempt to rally Marathi sentiment in the run-up to the civic polls, where issues of regional identity and control over Mumbai often dominate political narratives. His comments quickly drew a strong response from Annamalai, who rejected the criticism and challenged those issuing threats against him.

Responding to the controversy, Annamalai said he had received threats on social media, with some users allegedly warning that his legs would be cut off if he visited Mumbai. Dismissing such intimidation, he asserted that he would come to Mumbai regardless and dared his critics to act on their threats. He said that if he were afraid of such warnings, he would have stayed in his village, adding that he is proud to be a farmer’s son and will not be cowed down by political pressure.

Annamalai further questioned who Raj Thackeray or Aaditya Thackeray were to threaten him, and accused his critics of insulting Tamils through references to attire such as dhoti and lungi. He said that attempts to demean Tamils under the guise of political criticism were unacceptable.

The controversy has its roots in Annamalai’s recent campaign visits to Mumbai, where he canvassed for BJP candidates in Tamil-dominated areas such as Dharavi and Sion Koliwada. During these interactions, he had described Mumbai as an international city rather than belonging exclusively to Maharashtra, highlighting its massive civic budget of around ₹75,000 crore in comparison with Chennai and Bengaluru.

Annamalai also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, pitching the idea of a BJP-led “triple engine government” in Mumbai, the state and the Centre to accelerate development. His remarks, however, drew criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, who expressed shock over Annamalai’s comments and questioned the silence of the state leadership on the issue.

Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, will be held on January 15, with counting scheduled for January 16. As polling day approaches, sharp exchanges like these are expected to further intensify the political battle.