‘If Not Maharashtra, Then Whose Is Mumbai?’ Opposition Slams Annamalai’s Remark Ahead of BMC Elections 2026
Mumbai: A statement by former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai has sparked controversy in Mumbai, with Opposition parties alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party is undermining the city’s association with Maharashtra just days before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections set for January 15.
Campaign Statement Triggers Backlash
While canvassing in Mumbai’s western suburbs, Annamalai stated, “Bombay is not a city of Maharashtra. It is an international city.” Although intended to emphasize governance and progress, the comment immediately drew fierce criticism from Opposition leaders who claimed it challenged the city’s core identity.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut described the remark as confirmation of what he called the BJP’s persistent position. “We have been saying this from the beginning…the BJP does not consider Mumbai a city of the state. It has been their design to break Mumbai from Maharashtra,” he stated.
Raut also raised questions about the lack of response from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Terming Annamalai’s statement a “tight slap” on Shinde, he questioned why no measures had been initiated and called for charges to be brought against Annamalai. “If Shiv Sena were truly standing for Maharashtra, this insult would not have been tolerated,” he added.
Outreach to Tamil-Speaking Constituencies
Annamalai visited Mumbai to support BJP councillor candidates in wards with substantial Tamil-speaking communities. During Friday and Saturday, he reached out to voters in wards 35, 47, and 19 located in Malad West and Charkop.
In interactions with journalists, he stressed the significance of the BMC polls and pointed to the development priorities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Fadnavis in Maharashtra. Discussing the civic body’s financial scale, he noted that Mumbai’s budget amounted to ₹75,000 crore, significantly exceeding that of Chennai or Bengaluru, and called for robust administrative governance.
Opposition Raises Marathi Identity Concerns
The Shiv Sena (UBT) utilized its social media platform to claim that the BJP was intentionally drawing a line between “Bombay” and “Mumbai”. Raut expressed being “shocked” by Annamalai’s assertion and posed a direct question: “If Mumbai does not belong to Maharashtra, then whose is it?”
Mumbai, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, "I am shocked that Annamalai came from Tamil Nadu to Mumbai and claimed that Mumbai does not belong to Maharashtra. Even after such a statement, the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde have… pic.twitter.com/gFtma9ZoUj
— IANS (@ians_india) January 10, 2026
Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena leader Akhil Chitre emphasized that Mumbai’s name and character were built on the efforts and sacrifices of Marathi communities. Purposefully using “Bombay” and disputing its connection to Maharashtra, he argued, represented a direct affront to that history and could escalate tensions during the electoral period.
Broader Criticism from Sena (UBT) Leaders
Priyanka Chaturvedi rejected Annamalai’s observations, asserting that Mumbai was “proudly Maharashtra and happily global in outlook”. Shalini Thackeray cautioned that recurring statements by BJP leaders concerning Mumbai and Marathi communities revealed an underlying attitude, calling on voters to stay vigilant as campaigning gains momentum.