‘Bombay not a city of Maharashtra’: Annamalai’s remark ignites row

The budget of this city is ₹75,000 crore. Chennai’s budget is ₹8,000 crore while Bengaluru’s budget is ₹19,000 crore. So you need good people in the administration to manage the finance, to manage the development

MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu BJP leader K Annamalai’s remarks that Mumbai did not belong to Maharashtra but was an international city has given the Opposition a golden opportunity to slam the BJP. Annamalai made the remarks while talking to media persons as he campaigned in Malad and Charkop for party candidates on Friday.

‘Bombay not a city of Maharashtra’: Annamalai’s remark ignites row

“People want a triple engine government,” he said. “..(This is the) only city (metro) in the country where a triple engine is possible. Modi is in Delhi, Fadnavis is the CM, now Bombay will have a BJP mayor. Bombay is not a Maharashtra city but an international city. The budget of this city is ₹75,000 crore. Chennai’s budget is ₹8,000 crore while Bengaluru’s budget is ₹19,000 crore. So you need good people in the administration to manage the finance, to manage the development.”

The Shiv Sena (UBT) lambasted the BJP for this. “We have been saying from the beginning that the BJP does not consider Mumbai a city of Maharashtra,” remarked Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. “They have been planning to break it away from Maharashtra. Now some Annamalai has said this. What does Shinde’s Sena have to say now?” After the controversy blew up, Raut quipped that the BJP’s star campaigner had come to Mumbai and ended up slapping the BJP. He also demanded that Annamalai be arrested.

“It is completely wrong to say so. Mumbai is part of Maharashtra and nobody can separate it from the state,” said NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule.

Marathi Ekikaran Samiti, an outfit, also demanded that Annamalai apologise for his remarks.