Opposition Flays BJP For 'Anti-Mumbai' Statement By K Annamalai
Devendra Fadnavis had earlier said Mumbai would remain in Maharashtra till the sun and moon exist.
Published : January 10, 2026 at 5:25 PM IST
Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is now facing flak from opposition parties before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, in response to a statement made by their leader K Annamalai.
The BJP has lined up numerous non-Marathi leaders from different parts of India to campaign for their language voters in Mumbai. Voting for the BMC polls will take place on January 15, 2026, while counting of votes will be taken up a day later.
Annamalai was pulled up by the opposition leaders for calling Mumbai, Bombay and saying it is not integral to Maharashtra.
In an interview with a regional news channel, Annamalai declared, "Bombay is not Maharashtra's city, it's an international city."
He added, "Mumbai needs a triple-engine government. We need a BJP mayor in Mumbai, with (Maharashtra) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the state, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre. Mumbai is a global metropolis which has a budget of over Rs 40,000 crore. Bengaluru's budget is Rs 19,000 crore, while Chennai's is Rs 8,000 crore. That is why effective management is necessary for a city like Mumbai."
The opposition has reacted strongly to Annamalai's comment. Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson and MP Sanjay Raut and NCP (Sharachandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule have slammed Annamalai.
Raut said, "Annamalai's claims are an insult to the identity of Mumbai and Maharashtra. Criminal charges need to be filed against him. (Maharashtra) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis needs to make his position clear on this issue."
Supriya Sule said, "Mumbai belongs to Maharashtra and will remain integral to Maharashtra. Maharashtra and Mumbai are inseparable."
Just this week, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) supremo Uddhav Thackeray had spoken to Raut along with film director Mahesh Manjrekar. During the joint interview, Raj Thackeray alleged, "Devendra Fadnavis and the majority of the state's leading lawmakers are not originally from Mumbai, due to which they are unable to comprehend the issues and feelings of Mumbaikars."
He had further said, "Fadnavis's intentions are good, but he has no control over the situation." Just prior to this controversy erupted, Fadnavis had said, "Mumbai would remain a part of Maharashtra as long as the sun and moon exist." Meanwhile, the state BJP officials have not yet addressed this issue.
Annamalai is a former IPS officer and a senior leader from Tamil Nadu. He was called the 'Singam of Karnataka Police' for his no-nonsense approach while serving in the Karnataka cadre.
In 2019, he left the police force and got involved in politics. He contested from Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He is currently considered a prominent face of the BJP in Tamil Nadu politics. In addition, he is a prominent BJP campaigner for the BMC polls.
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