PATNA — Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor mounted a scathing counteroffensive against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, accusing the regionalist leader of weaponizing anti-migrant rhetoric against north Indians whenever he slides into political irrelevance.
Speaking to reporters in Patna, Kishor dismissed Thackeray’s latest grievances regarding Chhath Puja and Bhojpuri music as calculated theatrics.
"When no one pays him any attention, he manages to secure space in the media by making remarks about people from UP and Bihar," Kishor said. "You should not give any preference or platform to such individuals."
The attack was direct.
"His only agenda is to remain in the media spotlight by any means necessary," Kishor added, tearing into the MNS chief's political playbook. "Whenever he goes unnoticed for six months, he pops up with some comment against people from Bihar or Uttar Pradesh."
The spat erupted after Thackeray published an extensive statement on X, claiming the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was deliberately engineering cultural friction in Mumbai ahead of Chhath Puja. Thackeray alleged that political actors were circulating social media reels that depicted Chhath rituals as a form of "cultural invasion"—while simultaneously broadcasting Bhojpuri music across public platforms.
Thackeray claimed that attempts to blast Bhojpuri songs at several Mumbai railway stations were thwarted only after active intervention by MNS cadre.
His only agenda is to remain in the media spotlight by any means necessary. Whenever he goes unnoticed for six months, he pops up with some comment against people from Bihar or Uttar Pradesh.
Prashant Kishor, Jan Suraaj Party Founder
Yet the rhetoric reaches far beyond festival grounds. Thackeray tied the railway disputes directly to upcoming electoral battlegrounds, asserting that the BJP seeks to harvest votes in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections by magnifying inter-regional animosities.
| Political Flashpoint | Raj Thackeray Allegation | Prashant Kishor Counter | Primary Arena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chhath Puja Observance | Alleged "cultural invasion" weaponized for polarization | Dismissed as manufactured nativist outrage | Mumbai & Patna |
| Bhojpuri Audio in Stations | Claimed MNS halted railway broadcast attempts | Branded the issue as artificial attention-seeking | Mumbai Railway Terminals |
| Electoral Strategy | Accused BJP of dividing regional demographics | Accused MNS of exploiting migrants to stay relevant | UP & Maharashtra Polls |
Thackeray further alleged a persistent pattern of demographic friction, arguing the BJP previously attempted to pit Gujarati and Marathi communities against each other in the run-up to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections.
Neither the railway authorities nor municipal officials have announced formal restrictions regarding Chhath observances, as community preparations across Mumbai's coastline and suburban hubs proceed under heavy seasonal transit.