This is a ‘Rasmalai victory’, says BJP in BMC surge
BJP–Shinde Sena crosses halfway mark; MNS trails as leaders turn Raj Thackeray’s jibe into political taunt
- BJP–Shinde Sena alliance leading beyond majority mark in BMC.
- MNS struggling in only about 10 of 227 wards.
- BJP leaders revive Raj Thackeray’s “rasmalai–lungi” remark.
- Social media filled with sarcastic dessert posts aimed at Thackerays.
GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 16th Jan: As trends showed the BJP–Eknath Shinde Shiv Sena alliance comfortably crossing the halfway mark in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, BJP leaders broke into celebratory jibes aimed squarely at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.
The taunts revolved around Raj Thackeray’s controversial “rasmalai–lungi” remark made during the campaign against BJP leader K. Annamalai from Tamil Nadu, who had described Mumbai as India’s financial capital and an international city.
Raj Thackeray had then accused the BJP of trying to culturally detach Mumbai from Maharashtra, sarcastically saying, “One rasmalai came from Tamil Nadu… what is your connection to this place? Hatao lungi, bajao pungi.”
With the MNS now leading in only about 10 of the 227 BMC wards and the Thackeray camp far short of the majority mark of 114, BJP leaders turned that phrase back on him.
BJP spokesperson Tajinder Bagga posted on X that he had “ordered three rasmalais” for Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray. “Ideological differences will always exist, but the Thackerays are not our enemies. Ordered 3 Rasmalai at Matoshree. Hope you enjoy it,” he wrote.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya congratulated Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, calling the trend “a sweet rasmalai victory for BJP in the BMC.”
Bengaluru MP P.C. Mohan added fuel to the mockery by sharing pictures of the dessert with the caption, “Ordered some rasmalai. #BMCResults.”
Political observers say the jibes signal a larger shift in Mumbai politics — from decades of Shiv Sena dominance to a BJP-led civic stronghold.
Final BMC results are expected later in the day, but if the exit trends hold, the Thackeray camp may lose control of Asia’s richest municipal body for the first time in decades.
