MUMBAI: As the Maharashtra Assembly elections approach, the rivalry between former allies of many years, Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and the state's Deputy Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis, is becoming increasingly personal.

While addressing a party gathering in Pune, Uddhav Thackeray had sharply attacked Devendra Fadnavis, referring to him as 'khatmal' or bedbugs. Thackeray remarked that he doesn't challenge a "khatmal" (bedbug), implying that Fadnavis is not significant enough to be challenged by him.

In response to Thackeray's jibe, Devendra Fadnavis quickly retorted that Thackeray had lost his "mental balance" and was "frustrated." Fadnavis added that Thackeray's choice of words and language indicated his mental state and accused him of aligning with the "Aurangazeb fan club."

Earlier on Wednesday, Thackeray had said that either Fadnavis would stay in politics or he would. This comment followed former home minister Anil Deshmukh's allegations that Fadnavis wanted to implicate MVA leaders, including Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray. Uddhav claimed that despite enduring conspiracies, he stood firm with determination, and he vowed to remain in politics due to the support of Sainiks. He also mentioned that the BJP struggled so much in the Lok Sabha elections that even Prime Minister Modi was sweating.

Uddhav further stated that if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition of his party, Congress, and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP comes to power, he would shut down MMRDA and scrap the Dharavi redevelopment project (DRP), asserting that the BMC alone could manage the city. In response, then Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule said that Balasaheb Thackeray, the revered Hindu leader, would have found Uddhav's provocative language unacceptable. Bawankule criticized Uddhav for abandoning Hindu principles to seek Christian and Muslim votes, contrasting Fadnavis's forward-looking leadership with Uddhav's descent into caste-based politics.