With campaigning for the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections ending on Tuesday evening, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified its attack on the newly aligned Thackeray brothers. Countering the “Marathi Manus” and “Save Mumbai” narratives, BJP leaders accused the alliance of resorting to emotional rhetoric in the absence of a credible development agenda.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis led the charge, rejecting allegations that the BJP plans to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra. He termed the claim a “fake narrative” aimed at misleading voters and described it as a desperate attempt by the Thackeray camp to safeguard its political relevance. According to Fadnavis, the real threat facing the alliance is its lack of development work to showcase.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal added a sharp political barb by remarking that “zero plus zero equals zero,” suggesting that the combined strength of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) would have little impact on the ruling Mahayuti alliance. BJP leaders also highlighted past public attacks between Uddhav and Raj Thackeray to portray their reunion as opportunistic and lacking ideological consistency.

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Addressing accusations of cronyism and favouritism towards select corporate groups, Fadnavis cited data showing growth across 25 industrial houses during the current administration. He framed this expansion as part of India’s broader economic rise and dismissed claims of corporate bias as politically motivated distortions.

The BJP also countered the “Marathi Manus” plank by asserting that Marathi pride and Hindutva are inseparable under its leadership. The Mahayuti announced that the next Mumbai Mayor would be a Marathi Hindu, challenging what it described as the Thackeray faction’s monopoly over Marathi identity.

Emphasising inclusivity, BJP leaders said Mumbai belongs equally to all communities who have lived and worked in the city for generations, including North Indians. They accused the Thackeray alliance of divisive politics and urged voters to focus on development, governance, and Mumbai’s future as the BMC election battle enters its final phase.

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