The annual Dussehra rally of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray turned into a platform for a scathing attack on the BJP and the state government.

Addressing the rally in Mumbai, he likened the BJP to “a single-cell organism amoeba”, inviting a sharp response from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who called him a “frustrated leader.”

In his speech, Thackeray accused the BJP of creating a culture of dependence, saying the party was “giving everything away for free and preparing salaried voters.”

He said the BJP is like an “amoeba” that “shifts shape to suit its politics, breaks society, and thrives on unrest.”

Thackeray alleged that the party had no link to good governance and was only concerned about electoral gains.

The former Maharashtra chief minister highlighted farmers’ distress, citing heavy rainfall in Marathwada, and demanded Rs50,000 per hectare as compensation for losses.

Reacting sharply, Fadnavis brushed aside Thackeray’s speech, saying, “When a person becomes frustrated, they start saying all kinds of things. Sensible people don’t pay attention to such words.”

He also quipped that Thackeray’s speech had “saved” him money.

“Whatever remarks he made yesterday, he actually saved me Rs 1,000. I had said that if he spoke even a single word about development, then take a bet of Rs 1,000, and I found out that he did not speak a single word on development,” Fadnavis said.

The senior BJP leader implied that Thackeray’s criticism was more about political theatrics than real issues.

He further suggested that Thackeray was engaging in negativity rather than offering constructive ideas.