Mumbai mayor will be Marathi, says Devendra Fadnavis ahead of BMC polls

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday asserted that the next mayor of Mumbai would be a Marathi Hindu, stating that the city’s civic leadership should naturally reflect its regional identity.

Speaking at a media event, Fadnavis responded affirmatively when asked whether the Mumbai mayor’s post was effectively reserved for a ‘Marathi Hindu’.

He clarified that the statement was not meant to divide communities but reflected regional representation, drawing a comparison with other cities. He said that just as Chennai would expect a Tamil mayor, Mumbai would have a Marathi mayor.

The chief minister also criticised opposition parties for remaining silent over remarks by AIMIM leader Waris Pathan, who had suggested that a “burqa-clad, practising Muslim” could become Mumbai mayor. Fadnavis maintained that the BJP follows a nation first ideology and rejected allegations that the party seeks to polarise voters along Marathi versus non-Marathi lines.

His comments come days ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, scheduled for January 15, which are seen as a high-stakes political contest in the state.

The Marathi-non-Marathi debate has resurfaced in recent days after BJP leader Kripashankar Singh called for efforts to elect a “North Indian” and “Hindi-speaking” mayor in the Mira Bhayandar municipal corporation. The statement drew sharp criticism from Marathi-centric parties, including Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray said the so-called ‘₹50 crore culture’ linked to the 2022 Shiv Sena split should be treated as a serious financial allegation rather than a mere political taunt.

Speaking on Thursday, Raj Thackeray questioned the source of funds, claiming that if 40 MLAs had received Rs 50 crore each at the time of the split, the total amount would run into ₹2,000 crore. He asked where the money came from and to whom it belonged.

In a joint interview with his cousin and Uddhav Thackeray in Saamana, Raj Thackeray accused the ruling Mahayuti alliance of selectively using investigative agencies. He questioned how leaders once labelled as corrupt were now part of the ruling cabinet.

Targeting the Eknath Shinde-led faction, Raj Thackeray used sharp imagery, comparing defectors to birds that hunt their own people to please their masters in Delhi, accusing them of weakening the party founded by Bal Thackeray.

He also took a swipe at Chief Minister Fadnavis, describing him as a ‘basvilela manus’ (an installed leader), alleging that he was no longer functioning independently but acting on directions from the Central government.

(With inputs from syndicated feed)