Mumbai: BJP leader K. Annamalai from Tamil Nadu has found himself at the centre of a political controversy in Mumbai, where campaigning for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections has increasingly focused on issues of identity, regional pride, and who belongs to India’s financial capital.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday strongly criticised Annamalai, accusing the BJP of attempting to “insult and loot” Mumbai and Maharashtra. Reacting to Annamalai’s campaign remarks, Thackeray said the Tamil Nadu BJP leader symbolised his party’s lack of credibility.
“Annamalai is the face of the BJP, which is ‘zero’. He could not even save his deposit in Tamil Nadu,” Thackeray told reporters, according to ANI. He added that claims projecting Annamalai as a future prime ministerial contender had been rejected by voters in Tamil Nadu.
Aaditya Thackeray, whose party is contesting the Mumbai civic elections alongside the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) after a two-decade gap, also praised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. “CM Stalin has taken Tamil Nadu forward at great speed, while these people are only fighting and hurling abuses,” he said.
Annamalai Defends ‘International City’ Remark
The controversy stems from Annamalai’s remarks at a BJP campaign rally in Dharavi, where he described Mumbai as “an international city” and not a city belonging to Maharashtra alone. Defending his statement, Annamalai rejected allegations that he had undermined Marathi identity.
“If I say K. Kamaraj is one of India’s greatest leaders, does that mean he is no longer a Tamil? If I say Mumbai is a world-class city, does that mean Maharashtrians did not build it?” asked Annamalai, a former IPS officer, during his response.
Raj Thackeray’s Sharp Attack
The sharpest reaction came from MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who invoked a controversial slogan from the 1960s and 1970s associated with the early Shiv Sena movement. His remarks, widely criticised, referenced ethnic stereotypes and questioned Annamalai’s right to campaign in Maharashtra.
Raj Thackeray also mocked the BJP leader’s name, asking rhetorically about his connection to Mumbai.
BJP Leader Hits Back
Responding to the attacks, Annamalai questioned the authority of both Aaditya and Raj Thackeray to issue threats. “Who are Aaditya Thackeray and Raj Thackeray to threaten me? I am proud to be a farmer’s son. They are organising meetings only to abuse me. I don’t know whether I have become that important,” he said.
Electoral Context
According to estimates cited by India Today, Tamil-speaking voters constitute around 4 per cent of Mumbai’s electorate, though official figures are not available. A significant portion of this population resides in slum areas, particularly Dharavi. While the BJP does not hold any seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, it does have a Tamil-origin MLA in Maharashtra—R. Tamil Selvan—from the Sion-Koliwada constituency in Mumbai.
Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including Mumbai and Pune, are scheduled for January 15, with vote counting to take place on January 16. Tamil Nadu is also expected to go to the polls for Assembly elections later this year.
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