‘Fight isn’t over yet’: Thackeray cousins vow to continue their Marathi identity politics
Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray had reunited for the BMC elections after 20 years. Photograph: (PTI)
Raj Thackeray said that the defeat doesn’t mean he would lose heart and give up. Though Raj’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) could win just six seats in the BMC elections, he vowed to keep fighting for his state and Marathis.
After the drubbing in the Maharashtra civic elections and losing the BMC, the Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, have sworn to continue their Marathi identity politics. “This fight isn’t over yet,” read a post by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) as he shared a photo of the late Balasaheb Thackeray, who had championed the Marathi cause. The Thackerays lost control of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the country’s richest civic body, after 25 years. The BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena have emerged victorious in the BMC polls, snatching control from the Thackerays, who had united last year to defeat the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
The cousins promised a better life to Mumbai’s residents, but the results dealt a setback to what was expected to be a new chapter in Thackeray politics.
Uddhav Thackeray, whose party won 65 out of 227 wards, assured, “The fight will continue just like this until the Marathis receive the respect they deserve.”
Raj Thackeray said that the defeat doesn’t mean he would lose heart and give up. “If anything is seen happening against the Marathi people, our corporators will surely bring those in power to their knees,” he thundered as usual.
Though Raj’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) could win just six seats in the BMC elections, he vowed to keep fighting for his state and Marathis.
“Our fight is for the Marathi people, for the Marathi language, for Marathi identity, and for a prosperous Maharashtra. This fight itself is our very existence. You are well aware that such struggles are long-term in nature,” he said.
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Raj Thackeray also accused the Mahayuti of harassing and exploiting Marathis, underlining the significance of his struggle.
“Whether in the MMR region or across the entire state, the ruling powers and those who have gone under their shelter will not leave a single opportunity to harass and exploit the Marathi people. Therefore, we must stand firmly behind our Marathi people. Elections will come and go, but we must never forget that our very breath is Marathi,” he said.
He also vowed to rebuild the party from scratch, saying the MNS will analyse and act on whatever went wrong.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won 25 out of 29 civic bodies in Maharashtra. The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance won a total of 118 wards in BMC, surpassing the majority mark of 114. While the BJP triumphed in 89 wards, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena won 29 wards.
The BMC has an annual budget exceeding Rs 74,400 crore.
As many as 1,700 candidates were in the fray for the 227 seats in the elections that were held after nine years and a four-year delay.
