MUMBAI, Oct. 3 -- Sounding the bugle for local body elections at his party's Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park on Thursday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said he will stick with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray to avoid splitting the strength of the Marathi manoos and to prevent Mumbai from "slipping into the pockets of traders". Thackeray came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying the BJP has ignored governance and is busy fomenting Hindu-Muslim trouble. "PM Modi is a shameless person who compared India-Pakistan war with India-Pakistan cricket match," he said. Thousands of supporters braved the rain to attend the rally at Shivaji Park, a Dussehra tradition followed since the Shiv Sena was launched by Uddhav's father, Bal Thackeray, in 1966. Sainiks have since attended the annual rally helmed by party chief Uddhav Thackeray, in large numbers (even though the Sena split in 2022), as it spells out the party's stand on various issues and sets the political agenda for the future. Stopping short of announcing a formal alliance with the MNS, Uddhav said, "Raj Thackeray and I already came together on July 5 and will remain together to protect Marathi and Mumbai when it's being attacked. BJP is a Marathi and Maharashtra hater. We will not let Mumbai go into the pockets of traders and will protect Marathi and Mumbai," he added. Thackeray also slammed the Mahayuti alliance partners, BJP and the Shiv Sena led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, saying, "They looted BMC and spent thousands of crores even from fixed deposits. We will expose all this through a white paper on BMC's financial condition." The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also criticised Mumbai BJP president Amit Satam, without naming him, for his recent controversial statement. "Since elections are round the corner, they (BJP) have started spreading hatred in the name of religion and spreading a narrative that 'some Khan' will become mayor. But let me tell you, if the BJP comes to power in the BMC, it will gift all of Mumbai to Adani," said Thackeray. Reacting to Thackeray's comments, Satam said the empty chairs at the Dussehra rally showed that "people and MLAs have left him (Thackeray)" just as he "left Hindutva"....