BMC Elections 2026: Mahayuti Stands United For Civic Polls, Opposition Struggles for Cohesion

As Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)'s long-pending elections heads closer, the ruling Mahayuti alliance will be projecting unity in Mumbai. At the same time, the opposition is divided, and it is expected to impact the BMC race the most.

The Mahayuti is also eyeing to defeat oppositions together for several other municipal corporations as well in Maharashtra while might contest separately for some places.

Congress leaders have held discussions with Sharad Pawar and leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) for a possible cooperation ahead of the civic polls.

Alliance for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

After months of internal tensions, the Mahayuti alliance is trying to show unity. As of December 15, the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP have decided to fight the BMC election together. Coordination committees have been formed to resolve seat-sharing disputes.

The BMC remains a key unresolved challenge for the BJP. The party believes its stronger position in Maharashtra and improved alliance numbers could help it win Mumbai. 

Will there be an alliance between Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray?

A major political development ahead of the polls is the growing closeness between Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray. The cousins were once bitter rivals. They now appear to agree that losing Mumbai would damage the Thackeray legacy.

The Congress has made its position clear on this front. It said it would contest alone if the MNS joins the opposition alliance. The party is worried about losing support among minorities, Dalits, and north Indian voters in Mumbai.

What does the past data say?

Data from the 2024 assembly elections suggests that the opposition may struggle to cross the majority mark of 114 seats in the 227-member BMC without MNS support. This situation gives the Mahayuti alliance a structural advantage. At the same time, a solo Congress contest could further split anti-BJP votes.

In the 2017 BMC elections, the BJP contested all 227 seats on its own and won 82. The unified Shiv Sena won 84 seats. The narrow loss still shapes BJP strategy. This time, the BJP plans to contest fewer seats to accommodate allies. BJP state election coordinator Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the Shiv Sena has set a target of 90 to 100 seats.

BJP–Shiv Sena Joint Strategy in the State

On Tuesday, December 16, Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar accused the ruling alliance of using calculated tactics. He claimed that the Mahayuti would deliberately keep the Ajit Pawar-led NCP out of civic poll tie-ups in many places. According to him, this move is meant to split secular votes and weaken the Congress.

Wadettiwar said that the BJP accepts Ajit Pawar’s participation in power at the state level. However, he claimed that his party is forced to contest elections separately. He said this was done to divide votes. He added that voters are aware of this strategy.

In a separate statement, Wadettiwar said the Nationalist Congress Party would not truly be part of the coalition between the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena during elections. Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam opposed the NCP’s choice of candidate Malik for the BMC elections. He said the BJP and the Shiv Sena would not work with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in Mumbai.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday that the BJP and Shiv Sena would contest together in most municipal corporations. However, the BJP and NCP may not run jointly in some places like Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Opposition’s MVA Strategy to Prevent Vote Split

On the opposition’s strategy, Wadettiwar said efforts would be made to prevent vote division. He said local leaders would assess local political conditions before finalising alliances under the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Political shifts are already visible on the ground. Tejasvi Ghosalkar, a former BMC corporator and a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader from North Mumbai, joined the BJP on Monday, December 15, 2025.