Mumbai, Jan 9 (NationPress) Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's founder Raj Thackeray asserted that the BJP has depleted its ideological resonance and is now merely dependent on financial clout and administrative dominance.

"The BJP has reached a stage of 'political saturation' and is merely surviving on borrowed time," the two leaders remarked in an exclusive interview with Saamana, the mouthpiece of Shiv Sena (UBT).

In the concluding segment of their two-part discussion in Saamana, Uddhav Thackeray stated, “Every product has an expiration date, and the BJP’s political brand in Maharashtra has long surpassed its. What you see today is not governance; it is a repackaged expired product. They are attempting to mask the stench of political rot using the fragrance of central agencies (ED/CBI), but the citizens of Maharashtra have already checked the date. Their time is over.”

Raj Thackeray countered, asserting that the BJP is operating on “borrowed mandates.”

“The BJP lacks original strength in this state. They resemble a person on life support, relying on the lifelines of other parties. When you start appropriating others' names, symbols, and legacies to maintain your position, you are conceding that your own brand has expired. The BJP’s expiration was the day they recognized they couldn’t win independently and resorted to disbanding parties,” he elaborated. He emphasized that by incorporating leaders from the NCP and Shiv Sena, the BJP has forfeited its foundational character, leading to its “expiry” as a principled entity.

The duo collectively urged the populace to “check the label” before the upcoming elections, asserting that voting for the current coalition is akin to “consuming expired medicine” — it will only jeopardize the health of the state.

Uddhav Thackeray further remarked, “They continuously speak of a 'double-engine' government. However, both engines have rusted. One engine is immobilized in Delhi, while the other has derailed in Surat. The expiration of this 'double-engine' illusion coincides with the next election. The people are poised to consign this train back to the scrap heap.”

Raj Thackeray commented that BJP leaders in Maharashtra have become akin to hawks perched on their master’s hand. “Just as a hawk hunts only when the owner releases the hood and signals, these local leaders await a cue from Delhi to turn against their own people. It is tragic that betraying one’s own has become this party's primary political strategy,” he added.

Regarding the partition of parties, Uddhav Thackeray stated, “They [BJP] question what the 'experiment' of dividing the Shiv Sena was. It wasn’t an experiment; it was an attempted assassination of a regional identity. They do not desire partners; they seek subordinates. If you stand firm, they employ the 'Surat' tactic to hijack the people's mandate.”

On the BMC and the endeavor to “capture” Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray claimed, “The BJP has set its sights on Mumbai’s treasury. They are treating the BMC like a colony. At this pace, they will soon whisk away our Mayors to Surat or even farther. Their aim is to transform Mumbai into a suburb of Gujarat, employing local 'contractor-ministers' to facilitate their agenda.”

Raj Thackeray accused the BJP of instigating divide-and-rule and caste politics. “The BJP is engaging in a perilous game of social engineering, which is essentially social fragmentation. They are ensuring that the Marathi Manoos never unite by igniting conflicts among various castes. They want us to clash so they can quietly seize control of Mumbai,” he stated.

On corruption and “clean chits,” Uddhav Thackeray remarked, “When they (BJP) were in opposition, they carried bags of ‘evidence’ against leaders who are now part of their cabinet. Where did those bags disappear? Did the evidence vanish the moment they embraced the BJP’s flag? This is not governance; it is a laundering service for the corrupt.”

On the “Delhi vs Maharashtra” narrative, Raj Thackeray observed, “There was a time when Delhi feared the roar of the tiger from Maharashtra. Today, the BJP aims to ensure that no leader from this soil stands tall. They want to reduce the Sahyadri to a mere hillock that bows before the Delhi Durbar.”

The Thackeray cousins shared a unified perspective on the perceived threat to Mumbai’s autonomy.

Uddhav Thackeray likened the BJP's strategies to international interventions, stating, "Just as Donald Trump captured leaders abroad, the BJP aspires to seize the Mayors of Maharashtra and transport them to Surat."

Raj Thackeray expressed concerns over “rampant” encroachment in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, alleging that migration is being weaponized to fabricate an artificial vote bank, diluting local Marathi influence. He warned, “If we do not unite today, history will never forgive us. This is not merely about two parties; it is about the survival of the Marathi identity in its own capital.”