Mumbai: A day after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray shared the stage at Shivaji Park and targeted Mahayuti, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched a fierce counter-attack, accusing the Thackeray brothers of hypocrisy, political opportunism, and failing the Marathi people over the past three decades.
Fadnavis Questions Thackerays’ Sincerity Using Old Footage
Addressing a public rally at Shivaji Park ground, Chief Minister Fadnavis began his speech by playing video clips showing how Uddhav and Raj Thackeray had bitterly criticised each other over the last 20 years. He also referred to the popular “Laav re to video” clip of Raj Thackeray to mock the sudden display of brotherly affection, questioning the sincerity of their reunion.
“Do I even need to respond to these brothers?” Fadnavis asked after showing the video, asserting that both Thackerays had been repeating the same speeches for years without delivering results. He assured the public that Mumbai would never be separated from Maharashtra and alleged that the Thackerays had done nothing substantial for Marathi people in the last 30 years.
Fadnavis challenged Aaditya Thackeray to an open discussion, daring him to debate issues with BJP leader Sheetal Gambhir . He accused the Thackerays of fear-mongering and said, “This election is not the last election of the Marathi people, it is the election of your political existence.” He further remarked that Thackeray did not represent Mumbai or the Marathi community.
Shinde Criticizes Thackerays for Relying on Emotional Politics
Mocking Aaditya Thackeray, Fadnavis said imitation was not leadership, adding that even Raj Thackeray was a better mimicry artist. He claimed that the decline of MNS was proof that politics could not survive on mimicry alone.
Reiterating his government’s language policy, Fadnavis said Marathi would remain compulsory in Maharashtra, alleging that the proposal to make Hindi compulsory had actually been initiated during Uddhav Thackeray’s tenure. He accused the Thackerays of suffering from “selective memory loss.”
While giving an answer on Raj Thacekray who alleged the government would shut Mumbai airport, Fadnavis said the Navi Mumbai International Airport project had been proposed as early as 1988 due to increasing air traffic pressure on Mumbai airport. He announced plans to develop a third airport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and expand the existing Mumbai airport by 1.5 times, promising that the region would soon have three airports like London.
Highlighting housing initiatives, Fadnavis said his government had implemented several policies benefiting Marathi and economically weaker sections. He clarified that the state government was a partner in the Dharavi redevelopment project and alleged that Uddhav Thackeray had scrapped an earlier tender before later accusing the government of favouring a corporate house.
“If Balasaheb Thackeray were watching from heaven, he would see Uddhav sitting with criminal candidates,” Fadnavis said, accusing Uddhav of aligning with questionable elements. He also alleged that the Thackerays failed to provide jobs to Marathi youth, offering street vending like Shiv vadapav instead, while the Mahayuti government was attracting investments and creating employment.
“There is competition among states. If we stop business, investors will leave Maharashtra,” he said, adding that the government aimed to turn Marathi youth into job creators. He claimed that many companies saw over 200 per cent growth during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure and reiterated that the Mahayuti’s pledge was Mumbai’s development, not political posts. He appealed to voters to support the BJP–Shiv Sena Mahayuti to “change Mumbai’s destiny.”
Moreover, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also launched a scathing attack on the Thackeray brothers, stating that they had no real issues to offer and survived on emotional politics. “We don’t need to reply with words. Our work will speak,” Shinde said.
He accused the Thackerays of remembering Marathi people only during elections, while asserting that development remained the Mahayuti’s sole agenda. “Mumbai must look like a true economic capital,” Shinde said, adding that even he and Fadnavis are Marathi and committed to Marathi pride through action, not slogans.
Shinde Announces the Next Mayor
Shinde announced that the next Mayor of Mumbai would be Marathi and from the Mahayuti. He said the government had decided to relocate Marathi families who had been forced to move out of Mumbai due to lack of housing.
Listing achievements, Shinde said his government had granted occupancy certificates to nearly 20,000 buildings, improved roads, worked towards pothole-free streets, promoted cluster redevelopment for the poor, provided homes to mill workers, and planned to allot one lakh additional homes to mill workers across the MMR.
He alleged that due to stays imposed during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime on development projects, the state suffered losses of over Rs10,000 crore as development projects were stalled. Accusing the Thackerays of opposing housing for the poor under the pretext of environmental concerns, Shinde said stalled projects were restarted once the Mahayuti government took charge.
Allegations of Corruption and Stalled Projects During MVA Tenure
Shinde further alleged corruption during the Thackerays’ tenure, citing the Mithi river desilting, COVID body bag procurement, and oxygen plant projects. “People were dying, but money was being made,” he alleged. He also criticised Uddhav Thackeray for being on a foreign vacation during a terror attack in Pahalgam.
Claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sanctioned Rs 10,000 crore for Mumbai’s development, Shinde said the MVA failed to attract a single major investment, pushing Maharashtra to third place nationally during its rule. He accused Congress of opposing the Ladki Bahin scheme installments and said Mahayuti believed in “Mumbai First, Mumbaikar First.”
Concluding his speech, Shinde said voters would not fall for “false promises and emotional traps,” asserting that no force could divide Maharashtra. “Our agenda is development, not corruption,” he said, appealing for support to the Mahayuti alliance.
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