'Desperate attempt, won't affect Mahayuti': BJP mocks Thackeray brothers' alliance

Mumbai, Dec 24 Maharashtra BJP MLA Ram Kadam has taken a sharp dig at the newly announced alliance between the Thackeray cousins ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, asserting that the tie-up will have no impact on the BJP-led Mahayuti and claiming that its flag will continue to fly across Mumbai after the polls.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena founder Raj Thackeray on Wednesday formally announced an alliance for the upcoming BMC and Nashik Municipal Corporation elections.

The move is being seen as a significant political realignment aimed at consolidating the Marathi vote bank and mounting a challenge to the BJP-led Mahayuti.

Reacting to the development, Kadam recalled past differences between the two leaders and questioned the credibility of their reunion.

Speaking to IANS, he said, "Twenty years ago, on September 27, 2005, Uddhav Thackeray treated Raj Thackeray so badly that he was forced to leave the party. Today, the same Uddhav is standing at his door with a begging bowl, asking for support. This is what destiny means."

Kadam further dismissed the electoral impact of the alliance, claiming that public rallies and emotional appeals would not convert into votes.

"There will be crowds during their campaigns, but it will not translate into votes. There will be emotional appeals to divide Mumbaikars. However, every citizen of Mumbai knows that during Covid-19, Uddhav Thackeray and his government looted the city," he alleged.

The BJP leader also credited the current pace of development in Mumbai to the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

"All the development you see in Mumbai today has taken place under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis. Uddhav Thackeray and his government only played the '20 per cent commission' game. Because of his arbitrary actions, we could not hold our heads high in Mumbai," Kadam said.

The alliance between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray is being widely viewed as a strategic attempt to counter the BJP-led Mahayuti, especially in Mumbai, where the Marathi vote base has remained divided since the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena.

However, Kadam remained confident about the Mahayuti's prospects and reiterated his dismissal of the alliance.

"Despite both brothers coming together for the BMC polls, only Mahayuti's flag will fly across Mumbai, as well as the entire state," he said.

Questioning the political relevance of the Thackeray name, the BJP MLA remarked, "The Thackeray brand no longer exists. Thackeray was a brand only during the time of Balasaheb Thackeray; now, it's only a surname. If there were a 'Thackeray brand' in reality today, they would not have lost the municipal elections. There is no point in making headlines now."

BJP leader Navneet Rana also called out the alliance and said that it was formed out of "self-interest" and not for the family.

"I want to point out that the way Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are coming together today as a family may look good on the surface, like two brothers uniting, but it is driven by self-interest, not love or familial affection. This alliance is purely for political gain and to revive their influence. Uddhav Thackeray's party, which once had the strength to form the Chief Minister, now ranks last in municipal and local body elections, with very few chairpersons elected," she told IANS.

Meanwhile, political observers describe the tie-up as a "make-or-break" move for both parties. The electoral strategy seeks to combine Raj Thackeray's influence among core Marathi voters -- estimated at around 26 per cent of Mumbai's electorate -- with Uddhav Thackeray's expanded support base, including Muslim-majority pockets, following his more inclusive positioning during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

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