In a charged political atmosphere ahead of the long-delayed Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) president and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He accused the ruling party of a deep-seated conspiracy to snatch Mumbai from Maharashtra and systematically push out the Marathi-speaking populace from the financial capital.
The Battle for Mumbai's Soul and a Historic Reunion
The upcoming civic polls, scheduled for January 2026 after a delay of over four years, are set to witness a dramatic showdown. The BJP and the ruling Shiv Sena faction will face a united front of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). This alliance marks the political reunion of estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray after nearly two decades.
Thackeray framed the electoral battle as an existential fight to protect Mumbai for Maharashtrians. He rooted his argument in history, reminding that the Shiv Sena was born from the Samyukta Maharashtra movement which fought to include Mumbai in the state. "We did not get Mumbai as a gift, the way they are now handing it over to (industrialist Gautam) Adani," he stated, drawing a sharp contrast.
He alleged a persistent design by the BJP's top leadership, which he described as largely Gujarati, to claim Mumbai. "They broke my party. They stole my party, its name, and even my father’s photograph. They did all this because they realised that as long as Uddhav Thackeray is there, they cannot capture Mumbai," the 65-year-old leader asserted.
Defending Ideology and Explaining the Alliance
Addressing the BJP's frequent accusation that he abandoned Hindutva by allying with the Congress and NCP, Thackeray turned the tables. He labeled the BJP an "amoeba" for its shifting alliances and lack of a fixed ideology. He pointed to the BJP's local alliances with parties like AIMIM and Congress in various constituencies, and their induction of a person previously accused in a lynching case in Palghar.
"Show me one election speech of Narendra Modi or Devendra Fadnavis without Hindu-Muslim polarisation," he challenged. "During the Lok Sabha elections, it was 'mangalsutra chori'. Now, for the Mumbai elections, it is 'Muslim mayor'. Why don’t they talk about development?" Thackeray defined his own Hindutva as staunch but not insulting to other religions.
On the landmark reconciliation with his cousin Raj, Thackeray said the core principles of Marathi identity, Hindutva, and Maharashtra were never abandoned by either. "We were estranged, but the core remained the same... If the BJP benefits because we are divided and they succeed in their goal, that should not happen, so we decided to unite. We reunited for a cause," he explained.
Confusion in Opposition Ranks and Allegations of Agency Misuse
When questioned about the future of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the INDIA bloc in light of his new pact with the MNS, Thackeray admitted to a state of confusion. "It is there. But slowly, this confusion will go away. Time needs to be given to it," he said, expressing hope that things would work out and that the INDIA alliance would remain intact.
He strongly backed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegations of misuse of central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). "What Mamata ji did was right... Whoever joins them gets a clean chit. This is a misuse of power and it must be opposed," he stated.
Clarifying his earlier dramatic claim that Mumbai would be separated from Maharashtra, Thackeray said he meant a takeover, not a literal separation. He cited the imposition of Hindi in the primary school curriculum as evidence of this forceful intent. However, he clarified that his party was not against non-Marathis, but against those who disrespect the local language and culture. "We are not against non-Marathis who are patriots and respect Marathi," he concluded, setting the pitch for a high-stakes battle for India's richest civic body.
