BJP leader K. Annamalai has intensified a political row in Maharashtra, hitting back at MNS chief Raj Thackeray and other critics as 'ignorant' following Thackeray's 'rasmalai' jibe. The controversy originated from Annamalai's statement made during a campaign for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, where he said, 'Bombay is not a Maharashtra city. It is an international city'. He also advocated for a 'triple-engine government' for Mumbai's development, involving the BJP at the Centre, state, and in the BMC. This remark triggered strong reactions across Maharashtra's political spectrum. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut vehemently condemned Annamalai, demanding his immediate arrest for insulting Marathi pride and the martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. Raut also questioned the silence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde on the issue. Raj Thackeray, at a joint rally with Uddhav Thackeray, mocked Annamalai as 'rasmalai' and questioned his right to comment on Mumbai's identity, linking Annamalai's statement to a broader alleged BJP plan to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra. In response, Annamalai defiantly stated he was not afraid of threats and dared anyone to stop him from visiting Mumbai, clarifying that his comments aimed to highlight Mumbai's global stature, not diminish its connection to Maharashtra. Some BJP leaders defended Annamalai, suggesting his remarks were misconstrued or taken out of context to politicize the issue ahead of the January 15 BMC polls. This ongoing dispute underscores the sensitive nature of Mumbai's identity and its significance in Maharashtra politics.