Against the backdrop of municipal elections in the state, the political atmosphere has heated up, with accusations and counter-accusations flying. In this context, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has made a significant and controversial statement about MNS President Raj Thackeray. In an interview with a Hindi news channel, Fadnavis directly predicted, “Raj Thackeray will not only be defeated but will be known in history as the owner of the biggest defeat,” he said.
Fadnavis said, “Today Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are coming together, but it doesn't mean anything now. If Shiv Sena and MNS had come together in 2009, the political situation today would have been different. At that time, they would have received significant voter support. However, now the voters have slipped from their hands.” Claiming that this alliance will not benefit Raj Thackeray in any way, he also clarified, “Raj Thackeray will benefit Uddhav Thackeray a little, but Uddhav Thackeray will not benefit Raj Thackeray at all.”
In the same interview, Fadnavis also criticized Uddhav Thackeray. “Property can be inherited by birth, but not the legacy of ideas. They have not inherited the legacy of ideas,” he said, targeting Uddhav Thackeray. This statement has sparked new discussions in political circles.
Meanwhile, responding to Devendra Fadnavis's statement, Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of the Thackeray group, questioned the BJP's stance on Hindutva. “We have consistently said that the mayor of Mumbai will be Marathi. BJP says the mayor of Mumbai will be Hindu. Does this mean BJP does not consider Marathi people as Hindus?” Uddhav Thackeray asked.
Uddhav Thackeray further said, “Then are Devendra Fadnavis a Hindu or not? Was Morarji Desai, who fired bullets at Marathi people during the struggle for a united Maharashtra, a Hindu or not?” By posing such a direct question, he sharply criticized the BJP's stance. On one hand, a political controversy has erupted due to Devendra Fadnavis predicting Raj Thackeray's defeat, while on the other hand, Uddhav Thackeray has tried to corner the BJP by raising the issue of Hindutva and Marathi identity. This verbal battle, which has started ahead of the municipal elections, shows signs of intensifying in the coming days.