'Rasmalai' jibe backfires as BJP candidates for whom Annamalai campaigned win BMC polls

Mumbai, Jan 16 (PTI) A sour insult turned into a sweet victory for BJP candidates that party leader K Annamalai campaigned for in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, as they swept their wards on Friday, giving a befitting reply to MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s 'rasmalai' jibe against the Tamil Nadu politcian.

BJP's Tejinder Singh Tiwana and Yogesh Varma won from ward 47 and 35 respectively in Malad West, while Dakshata Kavthankar secured a win from ward 19 in Charkop, according to results released by the BMC.

Tiwana, the president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's Mumbai unit, shared the organisation's social media post with a picture of 'rasmalai' saying, "Results win in Mumbai, noise doesn't. Thank you, Mumbai." Annamalai had canvassed for these candidates during his visit to Mumbai, holding public meetings and interacting with local voters in the respective wards.

During the campaign, the former Tamil Nadu leader had triggered a controversy after he described Mumbai as an "international city", remarking that it was "not a Maharashtra city", and drew sharp reactions from political opponents.

Responding to the statement, MNS chief Thackeray mocked Annamalai by referring to him as "rasmalai", invoking a controversial slogan associated with the Shiv Sena's early political campaigns.

Despite the online trolling and political jibes, the BJP candidates backed by Annamalai went on to secure victories in their respective wards. PTI ND ARU