BMC Poll 2026: BJP’s Hindutva Pitch Faces Thackerays’ Marathi Pride In High-Stakes Mumbai Civic Battle |
Nearly a decade after the last civic poll in 2017, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election is finally scheduled for January 15. The prolonged delay was the result of litigation over OBC reservation and the redrawing of ward boundaries to reflect population changes. Repeated postponements meant that the BMC functioned without an elected civic body and mayor, while state government-appointed administrators ran the city for four years.
This is set to change after a fortnight, amid Maharashtra’s dramatic political fragmentation following the split of the Shiv Sena in June 2022 and the NCP a year later, developments that also had a significant impact on the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
Why Mumbai remains the centre of attention
Civic polls for 28 other cities in Maharashtra are also scheduled for January 15. However, the spotlight is firmly on Mumbai. As Asia’s richest civic body, the sheer size of the BMC’s budget makes the election crucial for every political party. The poll also attracts national- and state-level attention, as it is widely seen as a barometer of public mood and political equations in Maharashtra.
For over three decades, the BMC has been controlled by the Shiv Sena. The split in the party and the emergence of new political alliances have turned this election into a crucial test to determine which faction is the “real” Sena and who gets to represent the voice of Marathi people.
High-stakes battle amid political fragmentation
Who will control India’s richest civic body remains uncertain, given the muddled state........