MUMBAI: The BMC, or Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, is considered Maharashtra’s most high-stakes political battleground. With huge budgets, bigger than those of some states in India, control of the civic body symbolises not just local administrative power but also political dominance, given that its annual budget surpasses that of several Indian states. This makes every BMC election a fierce contest between major political parties, and the ongoing uncertainty has intensified speculation and political tension. This time the battle is going to be fierce.
The last BMC election was held on 21 February 2017, with results declared on 23 February 2017. Shiv Sena emerged victorious, winning 84 of the 227 seats, while the BJP secured 82, and the Congress bagged 31. The NCP won 13 seats, and the MNS took 7. Although Shiv Sena and the BJP were alliance partners at the state level, they contested the BMC polls separately. The slim two-seat gap between the two parties revealed the BJP’s growing strength in Mumbai, even as the Shiv Sena retained the Mayor’s post. Since then, both Shiv Sena and the NCP have experienced internal splits and the two parties are now split into four.
Why BMC Elections Have Been Delayed?
The BMC elections have not been held since 2017 for several reasons. The first was the delimitation issue, redrawing ward boundaries to reflect population and demographic changes. This was followed by disputes over OBC and women’s reservation, which stalled the process for months with the Supreme Court finally deciding to go ahead with the earlier figures.
Political shifts further complicated the timeline; after the 2022 split in Shiv Sena and the rise of Eknath Shinde as the Chief Minister, the power struggle over BMC control deepened. Additionally, updates to the voter list and EVM preparations required extra time from the Election Commission, which also kept dragging its legs on making a final announcement.
Political observers believe the Shinde-Fadnavis government is strategically waiting for the right moment, planning a well-calculated approach before announcing Mumbai’s civic poll dates. The BMC polls are expected to be held in mid-Jan 2026, somewhere between 10 and 15 Jan. Until then, till an actual announcement is made, the city’s most anticipated local election remains in limbo.
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