India, Jan. 13 -- War of words escalated ahead of Maharashtra's civic polls after Raj Thackeray mocked BJP's K Annamalai at a rally calling him rasmalai. Annamalai on Monday hit back sharply at Raj Thackeray, rejecting threats and personal attacks over his remarks on Mumbai and Tamil icon K Kamaraj, and asserting that intimidation would not deter him from visiting the city. He also alleged that attacks against him crossed a line into insults directed at Tamils, pointing to references to attire such as dhotis and lungis.The row erupted after Raj Thackeray targeted Annamalai during a joint rally of the MNS and the Shiv Sena (UBT) in Mumbai.

Mocking the BJP leader as 'rasmalai', Thackeray questioned Annamalai's right to comment on Mumbai-re...