Mumbai, Jan 8 (AHN) Amid the high-decibel campaign for the 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday made significant remarks on his relationship with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, who has aligned with his cousin and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Uddhav Thackeray after nearly two decades.

In an interview with a regional newspaper, CM Fadnavis said that although they are currently on opposite sides of the political contest, personal relations remain unaffected.

Emphasising Maharashtra’s political culture, he said political rivalry does not translate into personal hostility.

"Raj Thackeray and I are very good friends. Since the campaign is currently underway, he speaks against me and I speak against him. But we are not enemies -- only political rivals. After the results are declared on January 16, we will sit and have tea together again," CM Fadnavis said.

He added that even after a bitter political split with Uddhav Thackeray, basic civility has been maintained.

"Even after such extreme differences with Uddhav Thackeray, we speak and have tea if we come face-to-face. This is our political culture," the Maharashtra Chief Minister said.

During the interview, Fadnavis also took a swipe at the alliance between Raj Thackeray's MNS and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena-UBT.

He termed the tie-up the "biggest mistake" of the MNS and predicted that the party would suffer the maximum damage within the coalition.

"We (the BJP) and Eknath Shinde are firm allies. We have no mindset to help the MNS in this election," CM Fadnavis said, asserting that the Mahayuti alliance remains united and stable in the civic polls.

The Chief Minister further criticised the campaign strategy of both Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, accusing them of deliberately shifting focus away from development-related issues.

"They trigger a new controversy every morning so that the entire day’s discussion revolves around it. They know that if the election is fought on the issue of development, they will have no answers," Fadnavis claimed.

Concluding his remarks, CM Fadnavis took a jibe at the opposition leadership, alleging that it lacks the "mindset to struggle".

He said opposition leaders prefer to operate from their homes instead of taking to the streets for public issues, leading to growing dissatisfaction among their party workers.