Mumbai witnessed sharp political rhetoric on Saturday as Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) strategies in Tamil Nadu. Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent rally in the state, which showcased the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) strength ahead of assembly elections, Dubey accused the BJP of desperately seeking alliances to infiltrate the region.
In an exclusive conversation, Dubey highlighted the BJP’s lack of presence in Tamil Nadu, where the Congress-DMK coalition holds sway. ‘The BJP has no MLAs, no MPs, no organization there. They’re trying to sneak in through alliances, riding on someone else’s shoulders,’ he remarked. He emphasized that the vigilant Tamil Nadu public would hold them accountable.
Dubey extended his critique to PM Modi’s broader southern outreach in Karnataka, Telangana, and Kerala. ‘They’re trying everywhere; they should keep trying—maybe in 100 years they’ll succeed,’ he quipped sarcastically. Drawing parallels to Maharashtra, he recalled how Balasaheb Thackeray once supported the BJP, only for them to split his party later. ‘Anyone who gets close to BJP risks their party being fractured,’ he warned.
Shifting to national politics, Dubey commented on Shashi Tharoor’s absence from a key Congress meeting in Delhi. ‘That’s between Congress and Tharoor. He’s experienced and does great work, but if they don’t value leaders like him amid their infighting, who will they?’ He urged both sides to resolve the dispute amicably.
On Balasaheb Thackeray’s birth anniversary, Dubey hailed him as a national icon whose Hindu advocacy resonated globally. Yet, he lamented how those nurtured by Thackeray have now divided his legacy into factions. As election drums beat louder, these exchanges signal intensifying rivalries across India’s political landscape.