BJP sets sights on securing Mumbai mayor position
BJP targets Mumbai mayor, Shinde Sena may intervene
Sources say BJP may need Shiv Sena’s support as Eknath Shinde could push his party’s mayoral candidate.
Mumbai is witnessing a significant political shift as the results of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections began to take shape on Friday, January 17, 2026. After more than two decades of uninterrupted control by the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, the BJP, in alliance with Eknath Shinde’s faction of the Shiv Sena, appears poised to take the reins of India’s richest civic body. The BMC, which has long been a symbol of political dominance for the Shiv Sena, now faces a new era of governance, with power dynamics shifting in ways that could reshape Mumbai’s political landscape for years to come.
As the evening concluded, preliminary counts indicated that the BJP had emerged as the single largest party, winning or leading in 88 of the 227 wards in the BMC, while Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction was ahead in 29 wards. With the majority mark set at 114, the BJP alone falls short of a majority, meaning it cannot govern the civic body without forming alliances. According to political sources, this gives Shinde’s faction a kingmaker role, allowing them to push for significant concessions, potentially including the mayoral post, despite holding roughly a third of the BJP’s seat count.
“The mayor of Mumbai should be from the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) because it is Balasaheb’s legacy,” a spokesperson for Shinde’s faction remarked, referring to the undivided Shiv Sena’s long-standing dominance in the BMC. For decades, Bal Thackeray’s political vision guided Mumbai’s administration, and Shinde’s faction appears determined to maintain that influence, even as they align with the BJP at the broader civic level.
Speaking after the election outcomes were largely clear, Shinde adopted a measured tone. “Our agenda is development. Analysts suggest that his statement could signal a willingness to negotiate a middle path, where the mayor’s position might rotate between the BJP and the Shinde faction, potentially splitting the 5-year term into two halves. Such an arrangement could allow Shinde’s faction to retain symbolic authority while letting the BJP claim leadership in day-to-day administration.
While Mumbai’s BMC is the main prize, political calculations are also influenced by the results in satellite cities like Thane. Shinde’s faction performed exceptionally well in Thane, winning over 70 of the 131 seats in the Thane Municipal Corporation, comfortably exceeding the majority mark of 66. The BJP, by contrast, secured only 28 seats there. Thane’s political weight, combined with Shinde’s dominance in his stronghold, may influence negotiations for the BMC. Analysts suggest Shinde could settle for key positions within Mumbai’s civic body—such as leadership of major committees including the powerful Standing Committee—rather than insisting on the mayoral post, preserving both his faction’s influence and political credibility among party workers.
“Either way, if Shinde easily concedes the mayor’s post to the BJP, it could send the wrong message to his party workers,” one analyst noted.
The numbers in the BMC suggest a relatively comfortable majority for the BJP-Shinde alliance on paper. Together, the parties have 117 seats—just above the majority mark of 114. However, the distribution of power and the leverage Shinde’s faction holds as kingmaker may complicate straightforward governance. With their shared alliance and mutual interests, the real negotiations are expected to take place behind closed doors, with committee assignments, ward leadership, and the mayoral term at the heart of discussions.
Political analysts also point to the broader implications of this shift. The BMC has long been a stage where political fortunes are made or broken. Control over committees, resource allocation, and civic administration not only shapes city governance but also signals which party is likely to dominate Maharashtra’s urban politics. For the BJP, securing Mumbai could cement its urban credentials, while Shinde’s faction could leverage their strategic wins in Thane and their role in the BMC to strengthen their bargaining power within Maharashtra politics.
The unfolding scenario underscores the complex interplay of party politics in Maharashtra. The BJP’s inability to achieve an outright majority in the BMC without Shinde’s support exemplifies the new realities of coalition politics in the state. At the same time, Shinde’s faction is balancing between leveraging their influence and maintaining party unity, ensuring their political relevance without alienating the BJP alliance.
As Mumbai’s civic administration prepares for potential power-sharing arrangements, both parties appear committed to presenting a united front to the public. While the mayoral post remains a key point of contention, the broader focus is expected to remain on development and governance, ensuring that the city’s administration continues to function smoothly despite political jockeying. For now, all eyes are on the behind-the-scenes negotiations, which will ultimately decide who steers the administration of India’s most valuable municipal corporation in the coming years.