The Thackeray cousins have vowed to continue their Marathi identity politics after losing control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
IMAGE: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena-UBT Uddhav Thackeray during the rally ahead of the BMC election at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. Photograph: Sahil Salvi for Rediff.com
In a post shared on social media platform X, Shiv Sena-UBT said, “This battle is not over yet… It will continue until the Marathi person receives the respect they deserve!”
Uddhav Thackeray’s party, which won 65 out of 227 wards, also posted Bal Thackeray’s image with the post.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray acknowledged the party’s below-par performance and vowed to continue his fight for the Marathi manoos.
Raj Thackeray, in a post on X, described the BMC elections as a fight between “Shiv Shakti and money power”, while urging party workers not to be discouraged by the setback.
The MNS chief had joined hands with his cousin Shiv Sena-UBT president Uddhav Thackeray after 20 years ahead of the BMC polls, and the duo projected themselves as protectors of the Marathi “asmita” (pride) to retain their hold over the cash-rich civic body.
The Shiv Sena-UBT won 65 seats, while MNS managed to bag only six seats in the 227-member civic body, which had been the Thackeray family bastion for nearly three decades.
In his post, Raj Thackeray lauded workers of both the MNS and Shiv Sena-UBT, saying the battle had not been an easy one.
The fight was between “Shiv Shakti and the power of money”. But still the party workers put up a good fight, he wrote.
“I am sad that the MNS did not get the expected results, but one should not be disheartened. Our corporators will definitely call out those in power if they act against the interests of Marathi manoos,” he said.
He said the alliance had fought for Marathi manoos, the language and Marathi “asmita”.
“This fight is our existence. You must know that such fights are long-term,” he said, adding that the party’s civic poll loss will be analysed.
Raj Thackeray claimed that the ruling parties won’t miss a chance to harass Marathi people in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and in other parts of Maharashtra.
“So, stand firmly by the Marathi man. Elections will come and go, but never forget — our breath is Marathi,” he said, urging party workers return to work to rebuild the party and the organisation.
