Mumbai, Jan 9 (NationPress) In the midst of the intense campaigning for the forthcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Shiv Sena-UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray has made a robust political critique aimed at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), foreseeing a bleak outcome for the Eknath Shinde-led Sena faction and charging the BJP with undermining Maharashtra's political integrity.

During an exclusive interview with a local news channel on Thursday, Thackeray refuted the BJP's assertions of being a "pro-Hindutva party", branding them instead as "power-hungry".

He drew historical comparisons to the Jan Sangh, asserting that they joined the United Maharashtra movement at a late stage and were the first to withdraw once their own interests were satisfied.

"BJP is not a Hindutva party; it is a party fixated on power. Their DNA is entrenched in opportunism; they merely masquerade as virtuous individuals. They are prepared to partner with anyone—even criminals—to maintain their grip on power," he asserted.

Thackeray likened the BJP's growth to a "single-celled amoeba" that strives to engulf everything in its vicinity.

He referred to the BJP's coalition with AIMIM in the Akot Municipal Council as "BJP's Love Jihad".

Furthermore, he accused, "BJP ministers indulge in beef yet attempt to instruct us on Hindutva. Within the Municipal Corporation, the focus isn’t on Hindu-Muslim divides; it is on governance."

Expressing dismay over the current political landscape, Thackeray noted that the upcoming BMC elections are being contested in a "strange" environment.

"We aspire for the elections to be conducted justly. There was a time when a thief would flee when exposed. Nowadays, thieves brazenly declare their identity. Maharashtra has never encountered such a scenario. What once was a political climate characterized by civility has now been utterly tarnished," Thackeray commented.

The former Chief Minister took a staunch position regarding Mumbai’s identity, particularly addressing recent contentious remarks concerning linguistic demographics in the suburbs.

"We are unequivocal—Mumbai's Mayor will be a Marathi individual," he declared.

He questioned why the BJP was attempting to enforce Hindi and other languages onto the city.

He inquired, "Should we merely accept when their (BJP) leaders assert that the language of Ghatkopar is Gujarati? Who are they to make such determinations?"

Thackeray accused the current Maharashtra government of burdening Mumbai with a debt of Rs 3 lakh crore and "looting" the city’s resources.

He spotlighted the grievances of the local Marathi community.

"Over the past two to three years, the harassment of Marathi individuals has escalated in Mumbai. Show me another state in this country where Marathi people behave like bullies. Here, they are denied homes and criticized for their dietary habits. The Marathi individual adapts wherever they go, but now people are intruding into our space and attempting to dominate us. Their (BJP's) arrogance has surged because their "bosses" are seated in Delhi," he remarked.