Mumbai: The Lallubhai Compound area in Mankhurd saw hefty police security and emergency response vehicles, as the supporters of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) were heightened with excitement over the party’s unexpected victory. The army of police were making announcements, managing the crowd, and urging them not create chaos.
BJP’s lone win in the area
Although it looked like a tense situation, the AIMIM supporters were only over-excited with the party’s success, which sprang a surprise in the 2026 BMC elections by a clean sweep win in the Govandi-Mankhurd area by winning as many as seven seats in a row. The party secured a win in ward numbers 134, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140 and 143.
Notably, 135 ward was won by first-time BJP candidate and media head Navnath Ban, who is a former journalist. Ban said that he takes it as a challenge and opportunity to prove his calibre in a ward surrounded by AIMIM corporators. “Although AIMIM had a wave, the clean sweep was not expected. We considered the Samajwadi Party (SP) as our main competitor,” he said.
Historical context
The political observers failed to realise the undercurrent of the MP Asaduddin Owaisi-led party in the Govandi-Mankhurd area. Owaisi held two campaigns in the area in the first week of January, which saw a sea of local Muslim residents. Booth workers at Lallubhai Compound said that it was these two campaigns that made a difference.
The area is Muslim-dominated, represented by four-time MLA Abu Azmi from SP. The Muslim voters have been traditionally supported the SP, however, in the 2024 state assembly elections, Azmi managed a tough win. AIMIN stood second in the constituency. Ateeque Khan, the MLA candidate said, “It was the support during the assembly elections that helped us in the BMC elections.”
By securing at least seven seats, doubling its tally from the 2017 civic polls when it had opened its account with just two seats. The improved performance marks a significant milestone for the party in Mumbai’s politics. As per civic rules, AIMIM’s increased representation now entitles it to appoint a group leader in the BMC. The party will also be allotted an office at the BMC headquarters. In addition, one of its elected corporators will be nominated to key statutory committees of the BMC, such as the Standing Committee and the Improvement Committee, giving the party a greater role in the city’s governance and decision-making processes.
Detailed ward-wise victories
In Ward No. 134 (M East, Mankhurd Village), AIMIM candidate Mehjabin Atiq Ahmed secured 8,414 votes, defeating Congress nominee Benzir Diwate by a margin of 2,216 votes. The party recorded an even more emphatic win in Ward No. 136, where Jameer Kureshi polled 14,931 votes and trounced Samajwadi Party candidate Ruksana Siddique, who managed 4,974 votes—a massive margin of 9,957 votes. Ward No. 137 also went in AIMIM’s favour, with Patel Shameer emerging victorious after securing 8,665 votes, defeating Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) candidate Ayesha Rafiq, who polled 4,295 votes, resulting in a margin of 4,370 votes. In Ward No. 138, Roshan Irfan Shaikh won with a lead of 1,973 votes, while Ward No. 139 saw Shabana Ateef Shaikh record a victory with a margin of 6,328 votes. In Ward No. 140, Vijay Ubale clinched the seat with a lead of 1,237 votes. Adding to the party’s strong performance, AIMIM candidate Khairunisa Akbar Hussain won Ward No. 145 with 7,653 votes, defeating independent candidate Deepak Falod, who secured 5,558 votes, by a margin of 2,095 votes.
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