The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, have turned Mumbai into an epicentre of India’s most complex urban political contest. Unprecedented alliances, including the reunion of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), clash with the organisational dominance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shinde Sena Mahayuti, which has already secured a significant edge through unopposed wins. This fluid pattern of alliances, where today’s ally becomes tomorrow’s adversary, highlights a defining trend in contemporary Maharashtra politics. The rise of factions in BMCShiv Sena’s factionalism since the 2019 split eroded its BMC fortress, once a Thackeray family bastion, paving the way for BJP’s rise. A new MumbaiOnce a Shiv Sena stronghold, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has turned into a contested battleground shaped by shifting coalitions, identity politics, and strategic alliances.

Source: The Hindu January 13, 2026 03:14 UTC