Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and said that anyone who spreads communal disharmony "can't be a Hindu", while also affirming that the 'Hindutva' of his party is "clean". The former Maharashtra Chief Minister also challenged the BJP-led Centre of holding elections on ballot papers. He was addressing a public meeting, on the occasion of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray's birth anniversary.

"If you have any shame, keep EVMs aside and hold elections using ballot papers. Anyone who spreads Hindu-Muslim enmity cannot be a Hindu. Our Hindutva is clean," Thackeray said. Notably, the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Election was a huge drubbing for Shiv Sena (UBT), which itself reduced to 20 seats as the BJP-led Mahayuti, registered a landslide victory with 235 seats.