Thackeray cousins vow to continue Marathi identity politics despite BMC defeat

The Thackeray cousins have vowed to persist with their Marathi identity politics despite losing control of the country’s richest civic body after 25 years.

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The BJP, along with Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, emerged victorious in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, wresting control from the Thackerays, who came together last year in an attempt to unseat the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

Setback to Thackerays

“This fight isn’t over yet,” said Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) in a social media post that featured a photograph of the late Balasaheb Thackeray, a central figure in championing the Marathi cause in Maharashtra’s politics.

Projecting themselves as defenders of Marathi identity, the cousins had promised a better future for Mumbai’s residents. However, the election outcome marked a setback to what was widely seen as a potential revival in Thackeray politics.

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Uddhav Thackeray’s party, which secured 65 of the 227 wards, maintained that its campaign would continue. “The fight will go on like this until Marathis receive the respect they deserve,” the party said.

Vow to continue Marathi politics

Raj Thackeray, often seen as echoing his uncle’s fiery political style, said the defeat would not deter him from continuing the struggle.

“If anything is done against the Marathi people, our corporators will certainly bring those in power to their knees,” he said.

Although his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) managed to win only six seats in the BMC polls, Raj Thackeray said he would continue to fight for Maharashtra and the Marathi people.

“Our fight is for the Marathi people, for the Marathi language, for Marathi identity, and for a prosperous Maharashtra. This struggle itself defines our existence. Such battles are long-term in nature,” he said.

Mahayuti accused of targeting Marathis

Raj also accused the Mahayuti alliance of harassing and exploiting Marathis, stressing the importance of continuing the movement.

“Whether in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region or across the state, those in power and those who have taken shelter under them will miss no opportunity to harass and exploit the Marathi people. Elections will come and go, but we must never forget that our very breath is Marathi,” he said.

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He added that the MNS would review what went wrong in the elections and rebuild the party from the ground up.