"For Marathi People, Last Crucial Election": Raj Thackeray On Mumbai Civic Polls

At the inauguration of the MNS' Konkan Mahotsav, party chief Raj Thackeray urged workers and voters to stay "vigilant" ahead of the upcoming Mumbai civic body polls.

Thackeray, whose party has often been accused of targeting non-Marathi speakers, said the political atmosphere around the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls was becoming increasingly tense and demanded caution.

"For the Marathi people, this BMC election will be the last crucial election," he said. "If we remain careless, consider it gone from our hands." He added that "if Mumbai slips out of our hands, these people will create havoc."

Thackeray also raised concerns about alleged irregularities in voter lists. "It is important for you to pay attention to whether the voters are genuine or bogus," he said, continuing his sharp criticism of the Election Commission's handling of voter rolls.

The 57-year-old leader's renewed assertiveness comes months after he had extended unconditional support to the Mahayuti alliance during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. But after the MNS suffered a setback in the subsequent state polls, his political tone and positioning have shifted noticeably.

BJP Counters With 'Hindu First' Narrative

As the MNS, along with the UBT, leans strongly on its Marathi identity pitch, the BJP has crafted a clear counter: a louder, more direct Hindutva message. The party, often criticised for being more representative of non-Marathi communities in Mumbai, is now placing "Hindu identity" over linguistic identity in its campaign.

Led by Mumbai MLA Ameet Satam, the BJP's city unit has sharpened its rhetoric. This was seen in a recent remark by minister Ashish Shelar. 

"Mumbai's mayor will be a Hindu," said minister Aashish Shelar, when asked whether the mayor of the city would be a Marathi if BJP is elected to power. 

The Thackeray Cousins' New Proximity

Amid these shifting narratives, the growing closeness between Raj Thackeray and his cousin, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, has become one of the biggest talking points in state politics. Once political rivals, the two now appear more aligned, not just at family events but also on the political front.

Congress Uneasy; NCP More Open

But the push for a joint Marathi front has not been easy within the Opposition. The Congress has been reluctant to accept the MNS inside the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad has made the party's stand clear: Congress will ally only with groups that follow a constitutional approach, a pointed reference to the MNS' 'unconstitutional' methods in the language row. 

On the other hand, the NCP (Sharad Pawar) has shown greater openness to the idea, seeing potential political gains in rallying Marathi voters across Mumbai and its neighbouring regions.