Mumbai’s political landscape is gearing up for a high-stakes contest as preparations intensify for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. The polls are expected to witness a direct face-off between the ruling Shiv Sena–BJP Mahayuti and the combined strength of the Thackeray brothers.
After announcing an alliance between the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray respectively, details of the seat-sharing arrangement have begun to emerge.
According to sources, Ward No. 192 in Dadar has been allotted to the MNS following the final round of negotiations. The party has decided to field MNS leader Yashwant Killedar from the ward, marking what is being seen as the first confirmed candidate announced by Raj Thackeray’s party for the BMC polls. In the 2017 civic elections, the ward was won by the Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction), with Preeti Patankar emerging victorious.
The decision to cede Ward 192 to the MNS has reportedly triggered discontent within the Shiv Sena (UBT). As per the seat-sharing formula, Ward 192 has gone to the MNS, while Ward 194 has been allotted to the Shiv Sena (UBT). However, local Shiv Sena office-bearers and workers are unhappy with the arrangement and are expected to meet Uddhav Thackeray to press their demand to retain Ward 192. Former corporator Prakash Patankar is also likely to visit Matoshree along with party workers to present their objections.
Considered Asia’s richest civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will go to the polls after a long gap. The election schedule for Mumbai and other municipal corporations across Maharashtra has been announced, with voting slated for January 15, 2026, and counting to take place on January 16, 2026. Elections will be held for all 227 wards of the Mumbai civic body.
The term of the BMC ended on March 7, 2022, following which the corporation has been under administrator rule. The previous civic elections were held in 2017, when Shiv Sena’s Kishori Pednekar became mayor.
The election programme for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections has been announced, with the nomination process scheduled to begin on December 23 and continue till December 30. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be carried out on December 31, while the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is January 2, 2026. The final list of candidates along with the allotment of election symbols will be released on January 3. Polling for all 227 wards of the BMC will be held on January 15, 2026, and the counting of votes and declaration of results will take place the very next day, on January 16.
In the 2017 BMC elections, the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 84 corporators, closely followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 82 seats. The Congress secured 31 seats, while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won nine. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had seven corporators, the Samajwadi Party won six seats, and the AIMIM secured two, while five candidates were elected as independents.
