MUMBAI: Rasmalai, a word normally associated with a beloved Indian dessert, may have instantly become anathema to the Thackeray cousins, Raj and Uddhav, after the counting and results of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on January 16, 2026.
The Memefest of Rasmalai
Raj Thackeray won’t be able to Eat RasMalai Ever 🤣😂
Annamalai having the last laugh #BMCElections results🔥 https://t.co/NsPnDqmu51 pic.twitter.com/uCxrUjokJU
— Bhakt Prahlad🚩 (@RakeshKishore_l) January 16, 2026
Social media recently witnessed a storm, a political backlash, and a lesson in how identity politics can boomerang.
The hashtag #Rasmalai began trending on X (formerly Twitter) around January 11, 2026, just days before polling for the BMC elections on January 15. The trend picked up steam during voting day and peaked during counting on January 16, continuing well into January 17 as reactions poured in.
Mumbai has sense of humour&a memory.
Raj Thackeray tried to shame @annamalai_k with #Rasmalai
Mumbai celebrated a victory&flipped the insult on its head.The same word used to belittle a leader bcame the punchline to a much bigger message.
Sweet,decisive,very public#BMCResults pic.twitter.com/DMTdhiq9iM— 🇮🇳 Sangitha Varier 🚩 (@VarierSangitha) January 17, 2026
Variations such as #rasamalai, #annamalai, and the more sarcastic #rasmalaisupremacy (often stylised as #RasMalaiSupremacy) flooded timelines, used in celebratory, mocking and political contexts.
After BMC Drubbing, BJP Lobs Raj Thackeray's Rasmalai Dig Back At Him https://t.co/Lm4KGzPtG5
— Yogesh Naik (@yogesa) January 17, 2026
So what triggered this dessert-turned-political-insult trend?
The Origin: Annamalai, Mumbai & A Political Misfire
The trend originated from a political controversy during the BMC election campaign.
Tamil Nadu BJP leader K. Annamalai, while campaigning in Maharashtra, described Mumbai as India’s financial capital and an “international city” that should be governed effectively, without emphasising regional ownership. He also referred to Mumbai by its colonial name ‘Bombay’, despite its official Marathi name being in use for nearly two decades.
BJP's K Annamalai-
"Bombay is not a Maharashtra city, it is international city."
UBT and MNS slaming BJP as he used Bombay and also said that city is not linked to Maharashtra.
In BMC Election, non local leaders of BJP have embarrassed party alot.
pic.twitter.com/jVuMsWljum— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) January 10, 2026
This remark did not go down well with the regional parties.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray mocked Annamalai by calling him “Rasmalai”, a wordplay on his family name. The insult immediately triggered backlash from various sections, who accused Raj Thackeray of disrespecting and distorting a Tamil name.
"One Rasmalai came from Tamil Nadu…What is your connection to come here….Hatao lungi bajao pungi" ~ Raj Thackeray at the UBT-MNS joint rally in Mumbai.
This is not just about abusing K. Annamalai, but also mocking South Indians by using remarks "Hatao lungi bajao pungi".… pic.twitter.com/5uwn9MH5BA
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) January 11, 2026
Rally Rhetoric Turns Ugly
At the UBT–MNS joint rally in Mumbai, Raj Thackeray escalated the attack, using abusive language:
“One Rasmalai came from Tamil Nadu… He was questioning the relevance of Mumbai to Maharashtra. I ask, “**** (expletive), what is your connection to come here?” It is for his kind that Balasaheb Thackeray had given the slogan: Hatao lungi bajao pungi!”
The remarks shocked many, especially given the timing, when BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena had flown in Annamalai as a star campaigner to woo the sizeable South Indian voter base in Mumbai.
Perhaps already rattled by this outreach, the Thackeray cousins saw Annamalai’s statement as an opportunity to revive the ‘Marathi Manoos’ narrative and reclaim their regional stronghold.
Social Media Adds Fuel
UBT Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi joined the mockery, coining the term “Rasmalai Fan Club” to refer sarcastically to Annamalai’s supporters.
Rasmalai fan club still ranting away in my mentions, in defence of the greatness. Lagey raho 😂
— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) January 12, 2026
One Rasmalai came from Tamil Nadu…What is your connection to come here….Hatao lungi bajao pungi" ~ Raj Thackeray at the UBT-MNS joint rally in Mumbai. This is not just about abusing K. Annamalai, but also mocking South Indians#DMKALLIANCEAGAINTINDIA#INDIALLIANCE AGAINT🇮🇳
— ѕαи∂уx̷ (@ThengaChutneyy) January 12, 2026
https://www.instagram.com/p/DTawoH-EtwR/
The phrase quickly caught on, spawning memes, edits and sarcastic posts
Why Mumbai vs Bombay Still Hurts
To understand the intensity of the reaction, one must revisit history.
For many Maharashtrians, the proposition that ‘Mumbai does not belong to Maharashtra’ strikes a deep emotional nerve. This sensitivity is rooted in the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement of the 1950s.
After Independence, linguistic reorganisation of states gained momentum. At the time, the Bombay Presidency had a mixed population of Maharashtrians, Gujaratis and Parsis. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, business elites and leaders like Morarji Desai proposed keeping Bombay as a Union Territory, transferring it to Gujarat, or keeping it as a bilingual & centrally administered state.
This triggered mass protests led by the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti. Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, his father Prabodhankar Thackeray, Acharya PK Atre, and several influential Marathi figures led an agitation. Police firing at Flora Fountain in 1955–56 killed over 106 martyrs, remembered today as Hutatmas.
Finally, on May 1, 1960, Bombay State was split into Maharashtra and Gujarat, with Mumbai as Maharashtra’s capital. The day is celebrated as Maharashtra Day, and the sacrifice is commemorated at Hutatma Chowk.
For Maharashtrians, Mumbai was earned through blood and struggle, not handed over, making Annamalai’s “international city” remark deeply provocative.
Political Gamble That Backfired?
The Rasmalai controversy was meant to reunite Marathi voters behind Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, who had recently ended their long feud to jointly challenge the BJP and the Shinde Sena in the high-stakes BMC polls.
Much was at stake for the Thackerays as Mumbai’s civic body controls a massive Rs 75,000 crore annual budget, and their party, the Shiv Sena, had governed it for over 25 years.
But instead of consolidating Marathi votes, the strategy seems to have backfired spectacularly. Though not the sole reason for their defeat, this episode did adda insult to the injury.
It ended up uniting South Indian and non-Marathi voters against the Thackeray cousins.
One user on X warned the UBT-MNS combine:
“K. Annamalai is no Rasmalai, but he is Erimalai, a volcano. And if he erupts, you have had it!”
BJP won most seats where Annamalai campaigned 🔥🔥
A huge Rasmalai to Shiv Sena🤣
Annamalai = Jwalamukhi 🌋🔥@annamalai_k (ज्वालामुखी)#Rasmalai #Mumbai #BJP#MumbaiBMCElectionResults pic.twitter.com/Xj7wwUotuJ
— 𝗚𝘂𝗻𝗮 (@itzGunaa) January 16, 2026
@tnbjp should send a few kilos of rasmalai to @RajThackeray and make him eat in public.
— Kalyan Balasubramaniam 🇮🇳 (@KalyanBalu7) January 17, 2026
The Verdict: NDA Sweeps BMC
The final results of the BMC polls delivered a political knockout
- BJP: 89 seats
- Shinde Sena: 29 seats
That means the NDA total: Well past majority
- UBT Shiv Sena: 65 seats
- Congress: 24 seats
- MNS: 6 seats
- NCP: 3 seats
- NCP (SP): 1 seat
- AIMIM: 8 seats
- Samajwadi Party: 2 seats
Rasmalai was expensive pic.twitter.com/5dggYXwbBa
— Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) January 16, 2026
Veteran journalist Smita Prakash summed it up: “Rasmalai was expensive,” she posted on her handle on X.
PM Modi Delivers The Final Word
After the BJP+ allies decisively won the BMC polls and swept the civic elections in 28 other Maharashtra city corporations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the final blow to the ‘Rasmalai train’ in chaste Marathi.
मुंबई ही आपल्या राष्ट्राचा अभिमान आहे. ती आकांक्षांचे शहर आहे. देशाच्या विकासाला गती देणारे हे शहर आहे. एनडीएला आशीर्वाद दिल्याबद्दल मुंबईतील माझ्या बंधूं-भगिनींप्रती मी मनापासून कृतज्ञता व्यक्त करतो. मुंबईत महाराष्ट्राच्या चैतन्यशील संस्कृतीचे सर्वोत्तम दर्शन घडते. या महान… https://t.co/W5GRksMMrW
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 16, 2026
Translated, it reads: “Mumbai is the pride of our nation. It is a city of aspirations. This city accelerates the country’s development. I express my heartfelt gratitude to my brothers and sisters in Mumbai for blessing the NDA. Mumbai offers the best glimpse of Maharashtra’s vibrant culture. Inspired by these great values, we will provide good governance and ‘ease of living’ to the city’s citizens.”
From Slur to Viral Anthem
Interestingly, Annamalai’s campaign speech for BJP candidate Tajinder Singh Tiwana, who went on to win, was auto-tuned into a rap song, now circulating widely as the “Anna Rap.”
Humbled by Shri @annamalai_k Ji’s presence and support during my campaign…
His powerful speech has now turned into the 'Anna Rap' do watch and feel the energy…..#BMCElection2026 #BMCResults pic.twitter.com/VXmoVXCATn
— Tajinder Singh Tiwana (@TajinderTiwana) January 17, 2026
What began as a casual jibe, “Rasmalai”, turned into a symbolic political backlash. It exposed how regional slurs, cultural mockery and identity politics can alienate voters, consolidate opponents, turn into viral ammunition, and also decide the outcome of elections.
In trying to weaponise Marathi pride, did the Thackeray cousins inadvertently galvanise Mumbai’s cosmopolitan electorate and pay the price at the ballot box? That’s a point for deeper analysis.
