BJP leader K. Annamalai and MNS chief Raj Thackeray engaged in a heated exchange ahead of the BMC elections. Thackeray criticized Annamalai's remarks on Mumbai being an 'international city' rather than solely a Maharashtra city, using the slur 'rasmalai' and reviving the controversial 'Hatao lungi, bajao pungi' slogan. Annamalai, in turn, dismissed the criticisms as 'ignorant' and 'politically motivated,' asserting he would not be intimidated by threats and would visit Mumbai. The dispute highlights broader tensions over regional identity and Mumbai's status.