Mumbai: Following the BJP’s resounding victory in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, BJP MPs have retaliated against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. Thackeray had previously mocked Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai by calling him 'Rasmalai', and now, BJP leaders are using the same sweet to take a dig at him.

The ‘Rasmalai’ War on Twitter

P.C. Mohan, the Lok Sabha MP from Bangalore Central, shared a photo of Rasmalai on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, "Ordered some Rasmalai. #BMCResults." This post was a direct troll aimed at Raj Thackeray, who had insulted Annamalai during the campaign.

Joining the celebration, Bengaluru South MP and Yuva Morcha President Tejasvi Surya posted, "A sweet ‘Rasmalai’ victory for BJP Mumbai in the BMC Election. The Triple Engine government under PM Modi’s leadership will strive for Mumbai’s redevelopment." Additionally, Mumbai BJP spokesperson Niranjan Shetty celebrated the win by distributing Rasmalai to the public.

A Reply to Linguistic Politics: Annamalai

Meanwhile, K. Annamalai launched a indirect attack on Raj Thackeray, stating, "The people of Mumbai have given a very clear verdict. The opposition tried to divide people on the basis of language and regionalism. However, Mumbaikars have chosen progress and inclusive growth."

He further added, "People have rejected the archaic 20th-century politics of regional animosity. It has been proven that divisive politics does not work in the face of development."

What is the ‘Rasmalai’ Controversy?

During the election campaign, Annamalai had remarked that "Mumbai does not belong to Maharashtra alone; it is an international city." This statement infuriated Raj Thackeray, who mocked Annamalai as 'Rasmalai' and raised controversial old slogans used against South Indians. In response, Annamalai had challenged him, saying, "You threatened to cut my legs; I will come to Mumbai, try cutting them if you have the courage."

‘Jalebi’ in Haryana, ‘Rasmalai’ in Mumbai

This isn't the first time the BJP has used sweets for political messaging. Previously, when the BJP won the Haryana Assembly elections, they sent 'Jalebis' to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's office to mock his earlier comments. Now, the BJP has taken 'sweet revenge' against Raj Thackeray in Mumbai using 'Rasmalai'.