K Annamalai, whom Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray had recently dubbed "Rasmalai (a delectable sweet dish)", thereby sparking a massive row, hit back today with a dare. "Some have written that they will cut my legs if I come to Mumbai. I will come to Mumbai. Try chopping off my legs. If I were afraid of such threats, I would have stayed in my village," said the Tamil Nadu leader, who has insisted that Thackeray's comment is an "insult to Tamilians".
Backing Annamalai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said today that Mumbai is indeed an international city. In an efforts to placate the irate party collegue, he said, ""Do not take Raj Thackeray seriously".
Thackeray's jibe came after the Tamil Nadu BJP leader - ahead of the crucial civic elections in Mumbai - remarked that the city is not the capital of Maharashtra but the financial capital of the nation and an international city that needs to be administered by the right people.
"Mumbai needs a triple-engine government. We need a BJP mayor in Mumbai, with (Maharashtra) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the state, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre. Mumbai is a global metropolis which has a budget of over Rs 40,000 crore. Bengaluru's budget is Rs 19,000 crore, while Chennai's is Rs 8,000 crore. You need good people who sit in the administration to manage the finance," Annamalai said.
This elicited strong reactions from opposition political parties, including from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.
"One rasmalai came from Tamil Nadu... what is your connection to this place? Hatao lungi bajao pungi," Raj Thackeray had said, recalling the Shiv Sena slogan from the 1960s and 1970s.
"Who are Aditya Thackeray and Raj Thackeray to threaten me? I am proud to be a farmer's son. They have organised meetings just to abuse me. I don't know whether I have become that important," Annamalai said, hitting back,.
Elections to the 29 municipal corporations across the state, including the Pune Municipal Corporation, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, will be held on January 15. The counting of votes will take place on January 16.
