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Annamalai's strong reply to Raj Thackeray: Calling Mumbai an international city doesn't mean denying Maharashtra's contribution!
Mumbai, January 12, 2026: BJP's Tamil Nadu leader K. Annamalai, responding to criticism from MNS chief Raj Thackeray, said that calling Mumbai an international city does not mean denying the contribution of the people of Maharashtra. He said, "Mumbai is not limited to Maharashtra; it is a city of international stature."
With the elections for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra just three days away, campaigning is in full swing. Annamalai had recently visited Mumbai and participated in the campaigning for BJP candidates. At that time, he had made the statement "Bombay is not a Maharashtra city," which Raj Thackeray criticized at a rally in Shivaji Park.
Responding from Chennai, Annamalai said, "I am not afraid of threats. I am the son of a farmer, and I am proud of it. Who are Aditya Thackeray and Raj Thackeray to threaten me? I will come back to Mumbai."
He further added, "If I say that Kamaraj is one of the best leaders in India, it doesn't mean that he ceased to be a Tamil. Similarly, saying that Mumbai is an international city doesn't mean that the people of Maharashtra didn't build it."
Defending his original statement, Annamalai said that Mumbai's budget is ?75,000 crore, which is more than Chennai (?8,000 crore) and Bengaluru (?19,000 crore). He said that a "triple engine government" (Modi at the Centre, Devendra Fadnavis in the state, and a BJP mayor in the BMC) can provide good governance to Mumbai.
Mumbai, January 12, 2026: BJP's Tamil Nadu leader K. Annamalai, responding to criticism from MNS chief Raj Thackeray, said that calling Mumbai an international city does not mean denying the contribution of the people of Maharashtra. He said, "Mumbai is not limited to Maharashtra; it is a city of international stature."
With the elections for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra just three days away, campaigning is in full swing. Annamalai had recently visited Mumbai and participated in the campaigning for BJP candidates. At that time, he had made the statement "Bombay is not a Maharashtra city," which Raj Thackeray criticized at a rally in Shivaji Park.
Responding from Chennai, Annamalai said, "I am not afraid of threats. I am the son of a farmer, and I am proud of it. Who are Aditya Thackeray and Raj Thackeray to threaten me? I will come back to Mumbai."
He further added, "If I say that Kamaraj is one of the best leaders in India, it doesn't mean that he ceased to be a Tamil. Similarly, saying that Mumbai is an international city doesn't mean that the people of Maharashtra didn't build it."
Defending his original statement, Annamalai said that Mumbai's budget is ?75,000 crore, which is more than Chennai (?8,000 crore) and Bengaluru (?19,000 crore). He said that a "triple engine government" (Modi at the Centre, Devendra Fadnavis in the state, and a BJP mayor in the BMC) can provide good governance to Mumbai.
With the elections for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra just three days away, campaigning is in full swing. Annamalai had recently visited Mumbai and participated in the campaigning for BJP candidates. At that time, he had made the statement "Bombay is not a Maharashtra city," which Raj Thackeray criticized at a rally in Shivaji Park.
Responding from Chennai, Annamalai said, "I am not afraid of threats. I am the son of a farmer, and I am proud of it. Who are Aditya Thackeray and Raj Thackeray to threaten me? I will come back to Mumbai."
He further added, "If I say that Kamaraj is one of the best leaders in India, it doesn't mean that he ceased to be a Tamil. Similarly, saying that Mumbai is an international city doesn't mean that the people of Maharashtra didn't build it."
Defending his original statement, Annamalai said that Mumbai's budget is ?75,000 crore, which is more than Chennai (?8,000 crore) and Bengaluru (?19,000 crore). He said that a "triple engine government" (Modi at the Centre, Devendra Fadnavis in the state, and a BJP mayor in the BMC) can provide good governance to Mumbai.
