Mumbai, Jan 12 (NationPress) BJP legislator R. Tamil Selvan on Monday came to the defense of party leader K. Annamalai regarding his comments on Mumbai, asserting that his statements were intended to emphasize the city's global significance and the progress made under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, Selvan claimed these remarks have been intentionally misconstrued for political benefit.

“Our leader K Annamalai referred to Mumbai as a city held in high esteem worldwide. His intent was to convey that Mumbai is on its way to becoming the world’s leading city, largely due to the support of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. With initiatives like Metro projects, road improvements, and enhanced services, Mumbai has risen as a key player on the global stage. Annamalai's comments were made in this context, and he did not err in his statement. Yet, they are being twisted for political leverage,” stated Selvan, representing Sion Koliwada.

Former IPS officer and ex-Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai, who was in Mumbai last week campaigning for the party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, stated: “People desire a triple engine government. This is the only metropolitan area in the nation where a triple engine is achievable. Modi is in Delhi, Fadnavis is the Chief Minister, and soon, Mumbai will have a BJP mayor. Mumbai is not just a city in Maharashtra; it is an international city. The city's budget stands at Rs 75,000 crore, while Chennai’s is Rs 8,000 crore and Bengaluru’s is Rs 19,000 crore. Therefore, competent individuals are necessary in administration to manage finances and drive development.”

Responding to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's mockery of his name as “Rasmalai,” Selvan remarked: “Raj Thackeray is a respected senior leader. I hold him in high regard, yet he should also show respect to others. I hail from Tamil Nadu but have secured my Assembly seat three times with the backing of around 90,000 Marathi voters to serve them. They looked beyond my background.”

“The BJP's philosophy is to nominate individuals who are dedicated to societal service. Respect is paramount for all. I represent the people, including Maharashtrians,” Selvan stated.

Selvan further stated his extensive contributions to Maharashtra, saying: “I have traveled through numerous rural areas in Maharashtra, engaging in initiatives such as river cleaning and widening riverbeds. This work was done here in Maharashtra, not in Tamil Nadu.”

Taking a jab at his adversaries, he remarked: “The public has witnessed who resorts to foul language against our Chief Minister, who is genuinely working for the people. We oppose such derogatory language. Chief Minister Fadnavis will take suitable action against those individuals.”

He also mentioned that he invokes Maharashtra’s icons in his speeches.

“In every speech, I start by honoring Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Lokmanya Tilak, and Veer Savarkar. Is it appropriate to mock an individual and his attire merely because he is from South India?” he questioned.

Addressing the controversy surrounding Annamalai’s assertion that Mumbai is not a Maharashtra city, Selvan commented: “How can anyone dissociate Mumbai from Maharashtra? Not even a Prime Minister could accomplish that. Annamalai did not express those words with disrespect; he merely highlighted that Mumbai possesses a global identity.”