Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and chief party spokesperson, Sanjay Raut, attacked a statement made by Tamil Nadu-based BJP leader K Annamalai in Mumbai on Thursday night that "Bombay is not a Maharashtra city" while campaigning for the municipal corporation election, scheduled on January 15.

Tamil Nadu-based BJP leader K Annamalai said, "Bombay is not a Maharashtra city," as if he was ignorant that the city was renamed as Mumbai.

"Bombay is not limited to Maharashtra but is international in nature. The people here want a triple engine government. If you look at Chennai, there is DMK and BJP at the Centre. Similarly, in Bengaluru, it is Congress rule, with BJP at the Centre. In Hyderabad, it is Congress rule, with BJP at the Centre. But there is only one city in the country where a triple engine government is possible and that is Bombay. Modi at the Centre, Devendra heading the state government and a BJP man as the mayor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Because Bombay is not a city in Maharashtra but an international city. The budget of this city is Rs 75,000 crores, which is not a small amount. Chennai's budget is only Rs 8,000 crores. Bengaluru's budget is only Rs 19,000 crores. Therefore, for proper economic planning and administration, there is a need for a single party at all three levels, central, state and municipal level," BJP leader Annamalai said.

Reacting to Annamalai's statement, Sanjay Raut told media persons on Saturday that, "What does Eknath Shinde and his party have to say about this? Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says that as long as there is sun and moon, I will not let Mumbai to be separated from Maharashtra. Although your roar sounds good, the leaders of your party (BJP) come here and say that Mumbai does not belong to Maharashtra. So he (Fadnavis) must give answers."

"BJP's star campaigners are saying that Mumbai does not belong to Maharashtra. If Annamalai is saying this, a case should be registered against him in the state. How can he make such a statement about the capital of Maharashtra? If BJP's Annamalai has insulted 106 martyrs who laid down their lives as part of the Samyukta Maharashtra agitation in the 1950s to create the state of Maharashtra, the Chief Minister should register a case against him and arrest him. Where is your self-respect?" Raut said.

Annamalai's statement has created a stir in political circles, and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena leader Akhil Chitre strongly criticised his statement.

"The name and identity of Mumbai is not simply a matter of words, but behind it lies the struggle, sacrifice and self-respect of the Marathi people. Deliberately calling Mumbai as 'Bombay' and indicating that it is not part of Maharashtra is a direct challenge to the identity of the Marathi people," Chitre said.

"The BJP should not deliberately try to provoke the Marathi people through such statements during elections. Nobody should forget that Mumbai is Mumbai and it belongs to Maharashtra. Due to such statements, there is a possibility of a Marathi versus non-Marathi conflict during the election campaign," Chitre said.

Tweeting on this X handle, Chitre stated, "We are warning the BJP for the last time. Don't provoke Marathi people by deliberately bringing in such bandits during the elections. If any of you BJP members call Mumbadevi's Mumbai as Bombay and belittle Marathi people for the Mumbai they earned through their sacrifice, remember that the Marathi people are alert. City names are not just words but represent language, struggle, pride and self-respect. Mumbai is Mumbai! Not Bombay! And Mumbai belongs to Maharashtra! Jai Maharashtra!"