Devendra Fadnavis shows old videos of feuding Thackeray cousins, says duo fighting for survival now

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday slammed recently united Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav and MNS head Raj Thackeray, saying the January 15 Mumbai civic body election is the battle of survival for the cousins, and not for the Marathi people.

Addressing a rally here in support of the Mahayuti alliance consisting of the BJP-Shiv Sena on the penultimate day of campaigning for the civic polls, Fadnavis asserted Mumbai is an inseparable part of Maharashtra and no one can dare to break it away.

At the rally for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election at iconic Shivaji Park, the CM showed old videos of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, who have joined hands for civic polls after 20 years of estrangement, attacking each other.

Fadnavis asked the organisers to play video clips of the Thackeray brothers, who parted ways in 2005, criticising each each in the past, and added there was no need for him to say anything else.

Responding to MNS chief Raj Thackeray's remarks that the election to the Mumbai civic body will be the last one for Marathi people, Fadnavis said, "Your own survival is at stake."

"The (BMC) election is not about threat to Mumbai, Marathi speakers, but your own survival," the BJP CM noted, referring to the Thackeray cousins, whose parties are pitted against the BJP-Shiv Sena combine to control India's biggest and richest civic body with over Rs 74,000 crore budget.

Fadnavis, a former ally of Uddhav Thackeray, declared that his commitment was to install a Mahayuti mayor in Mumbai and usher in an era of transparent civic governance.

"We will transform the city," he vowed, appealing to people to vote for the BJP and Shiv Sena in Thursday's polls.

The Chief Minister criticised undivided Shiv Sena's over two-decade-long rule in the BMC and questioned what its leadership had achieved for the Marathi speakers who are now being portrayed as living under threat.

"Despite holding power in civic governance for so many years, the (united) Shiv Sena failed to protect the interests of Marathi speakers. Those responsible for such a situation had no right to claim guardianship. You don't represent Mumbai or Marathi people," Fadnavis asserted, attacking the Thackerays.

The CM said it was the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government (November 2019-June 2022) which decided to make Hindi compulsory from Classes 1 to 12 in the state under the New Education Policy and also scrapped the Dharavi redevelopment tender floated by his government before 2019.

"When we came to power we realised that the tender of the MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) government was not proper. We allotted the work to Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DPR) in which the state government is a major stakeholder and Adani group is the developer," he told the gathering.

Notably, the mega project involves transforming Asia's largest slum (Dharavi) into a modern, planned township by providing permanent housing to its residents besides building infrastructure, and commercial spaces.

He emphasised that only Marathi is a compulsory language in Maharashtra.

"Under a three-language policy, one can learn any language of their choice, but Marathi is a compulsory language in Maharashtra," the added.

Fadnavis said the Navi Mumbai International Airport, which started operations last month, was proposed several years ago to decongest the Mumbai airport and was completed in five years.

"We will construct a third airport (in Mumbai region) and also increase the capacity of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai," he declared.

Fadnavis affirmed Indian economy is on a healthy growth path since 2014 and net worth of several companies has also expanded since then.

"Non-BJP-ruled states have also taken investment from Adani group companies," he emphasised.

The BJP leader slammed Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray for imitating him in public and said at least his uncle (Raj Thackeray) does better mimicry.

"He (Aaditya) must remember what condition his uncle's party (MNS) is due to mimicry. Uddhav Thackeray wants me to have a debate with Aaditya Thackeray. I challenge Uddhav Thackeray to send Aaditya for debate tomorrow (Tuesday) which is the last date of campaign and our candidate Sheetal Gambhir will debate with him," Fadnavis said.

He said the Mahayuti flag will unfurl atop the Mumbai municipal corporation.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, and Union minister Ramdas Athawale, a BJP ally, were also present at the rally.