Marathi vote battle heats up: BJP fumes over Uddhav jibe at Mumbai chief, says ‘insult to Konkan people’
At a press conference on Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray referred to Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam as ‘Chatam (lackey)’, sparking an uproar.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Uddhav Thackeray was questioned about what he thought about Satam’s allegations that voting for the Shiv Sena (UBT) would result in the ‘Mamdanisation of Mumbai’
The BJP has found a new flashpoint ahead of the high-stakes battle for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray’s jibe at Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam— calling him “Chatam (lackey)”—has angered the party, which now seeks to frame it as an insult to the people of the Konkan region. The Shiv Sena (UBT), however, dismissed the controversy as a “desperate” attempt by the BJP, which has “failed to even launch a campaign in Mumbai”.
With the civic polls scheduled for January 15 and regional sensitivities taking centre stage, the BJP hopes to gain momentum by portraying Thackeray’s remark as an affront to the Konkani people, considered one of the most committed voter bases of the Thackerays.
Mumbai’s Marathi-speaking population has historically been dominated by families that shifted from the state’s coastal Konkan region seeking employment. From the inception of the Shiv Sena, this section has been one of the core supporters of the party. The BJP hopes that by portraying Thackeray’s jibe as anti-Marathi, it might create cracks in the Sena vote bank.
People from the Konkan region—Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts—are spread across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), with a higher concentration seen in areas such as Lalbaug, Parel, Worli, Sewri, Jogeshwari, Andheri, Borivali, Bhandup, and Vikhroli. A big chunk of this group also resides in the Thane and Kalyan-Dombivli areas. A majority of these areas have been traditional Sena strongholds.
Of the BMC’s 227 wards, around 30 per cent are dominated by the Marathi population, where the alliance of the Thackeray brothers—the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena—is likely to make gains. The BJP’s strategy is to target the Sena’s core base in a bid to distract it.
‘Uddhav ji just stated facts’
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Uddhav Thackeray was questioned about what he thought about Satam’s allegations that voting for the Shiv Sena (UBT) would result in the ‘Mamdanisation of Mumbai’ on the lines of Zohran Mamdani winning the New York mayoral election. Satam has been consistently claiming that voting for any party other than the BJP would result in changing Mumbai’s “colour to green”. Thackeray repeatedly asked who claimed this, and when a reporter told him that it was Satam, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, smilingly, asked if it was “Chatam (lackey)” who said this.
Former Mumbai BJP chief and Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar termed the remark an insult to the Marathi manoos (citizen). “Uddhav ji hits below the belt during the poll campaign. The word he used for Ameet Satam is an insult to the Marathi manoos. The voters will show him his place,” said Shelar.
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The BJP even organised a protest at Worli—Uddhav’s son Aaditya’s Assembly constituency—against the statement on Monday.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) shot back, asking when a statement against an individual had become an insult to a community. “This man (Satam) has no achievements of his own. His audio clip abusing a BMC engineer is viral across Mumbai. Does that mean his abuses were against the entire community? Uddhav ji has not even abused him. He just stated facts,” said Harshal Pradhan, the Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson.
Pradhan pointed out that the BJP was frustrated due to a lack of quality leadership in Mumbai. “They have not been able to bring out the manifesto for Mumbai yet. Nobody knows their plans for Mumbai. Satam should first focus on his party instead of crying over these jibes,” he said.
Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues.
Expertise
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai.
Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands').
Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including:
State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana).
Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides).
Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits.
Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness
Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects.
Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards.
Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra.
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