It is clear that this year’s BMC election will be a contest of progress versus Marathi identity. While the Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, are likely to bank on Marathi identity, the BJP is gearing up to showcase its development work over the past years, aiming to appeal to voters who prioritise growth and infrastructure over emotive identity politics.

The linguistic identity versus development work has become the latest reason for the war of words between MNS chief Raj Thackeray and the BJP. On Sunday, during a function in Mumbai, Raj made an emotional appeal. According to reports, Thackeray spoke about ‘Marathi identity’, suggesting that this could be the last election for the community to assert it. “Marathi people should stay alert or else this Mumbai municipal election could be the last for them,” Raj asserted while addressing the gathering.