Brand Thackeray Ended With Balasaheb Thackeray: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis reacted to Raj Thackeray’s claim of them trying to finish ‘brand Thackeray’ as he sat down for an exclusive and unfiltered chat with Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami.

The End of 'Brand Thackeray'

Talking about the claims made by Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra CM said, “Firstly, there is no ‘brand Thackeray’. There was only one brand, and that was ‘Hindu Hruday Samrat’ and Shiv Sena chief Bala Sahab Thackeray-that was a brand. There is nothing left now. His ideals, politics, have been destroyed, crushed. Since then, there has been no brand. They are the heir to Balasaheb’s property, not his thoughts.”

On being asked about people comparing Raj Thackeray with Bal Thackeray and the similarity in their mannerisms, Fadnavis stated, “Unfortunately, Bala Saheb was the one to disown Raj Thackeray. MNS and Shiv Sena coming together now achieves nothing because they have no votes left. If they had come together in 2009, when they actually had votes, then the politics of Maharashtra would have been different. And, as far as Raj Thackeray is concerned, after this election, he would be the biggest loser in this coalition. Uddhav Thackeray might benefit from the coalition, but Raj Thackeray won’t.”

As the question shifted to ‘Maratha Pride’ being the main poll plank of Thackeray, Fadnavis did not shy away from stating that in the last 25 years, they have lost the trust of the Marathis. He questioned, “Why did Marathis leave Mumbai? If you were in power for 25 years, you had BMC under your control, which is one of the richest bodies in the country, why could Marathis not get a house in Mumbai and had to move to Vasai and Virar, or even cross Nalasopara?” 

A "Disowned" Legacy

Fadnavis also made a sensational claim, describing Raj Thackeray as the "disowned son" of the late Balasaheb Thackeray. Fadnavis suggested that even the founder of the Shiv Sena had distanced himself from Raj’s brand of politics. Predicting a future for the MNS leader, Fadnavis stated, “Raj Thackeray will be the biggest loser” in the upcoming political battles.

When Arnab Goswami asked him about pending investigations and legal actions against various political figures, Fadnavis remained hostile. He linked the loss of political power to a loss of moral authority, claiming that true "Marathi Pride" now lies with those who deliver governance rather than those who rely on a family name.

As Maharashtra heads toward crucial elections, Fadnavis’s comments mark a final attempt to dismantle the traditional power centres of Mumbai and position the current government as the sole heir to the state's leadership.

Also Read: Big Republic Fadnavis Interview Impact: CM Orders Break of Alliance With Congress in Ambernath and AIMIM in Akot