The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Friday attacked the Mahayuti government, saying that BJP leader Kripashankar Singh’s assertion that the next Mayor of Mumbai will be from the North Indian/Hindi-speaking community is not an isolated comment but is the "official stance" of the party to dilute the Marathi identity of the city and is a direct attack on Maharashtra’s regional pride, reported news agency IANS.

Saamana editorial warns of backlash over ‘non-Marathi mayor’

The Thackeray camp, in an editorial in the party`s mouthpiece `Saamana`, titled “Traitors, Shame on your lives! Mumbai’s Mayor will only be Marathi`, warned that any attempt to "impose" a non-Marathi mayor on the city would trigger a backlash similar to the historic struggle for the state’s formation. "Mumbai belongs to the Marathi manush emotionally, geographically, and historically,” it said, reported IANS.