Mumbai: Political activity in Mumbai has intensified amid strong indications that the long-pending elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) could finally be announced on Monday afternoon. With the country’s richest civic body set to go to the polls after a prolonged delay, political parties across the spectrum are bracing for a high-stakes contest.
According to senior leaders from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, the State Election Commission is expected to address the media later on Monday and formally unveil the election schedule. If confirmed, it would mark the first BMC elections since February 2017, when voters elected corporators to 227 seats.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance — comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP — is expected to enter the fray as a united front. Despite internal discussions over seat-sharing and local-level adjustments, alliance leaders are keen to project cohesion, viewing the BMC as a prestige battle that could shape Mumbai’s political future.
On the opposition side, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) faces unresolved strategic questions, particularly over a possible alliance with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). While the Shiv Sena (UBT) is reportedly pushing for a joint contest with the MNS to consolidate the Marathi vote, the Congress is cautious. Party leaders fear that an understanding with the MNS could alienate north Indian voters, a key demographic in several city wards.
