Mumbai, July 30, 2026: The BMC's Rs 1.5-crore proposal to replace the official vehicles of six key political office-bearers ignited a bitter political clash in the Standing Committee on Thursday.

While the Opposition questioned the need for the expenditure, the BJP alleged political hypocrisy, claiming the same parties had previously endorsed the proposal before opposing it publicly.

The row over official vehicles intensified after the BMC proposed spending on six new Toyota Innova Crysta vehicles for senior political office-bearers, including the Deputy Mayor, Leader of the House, Leader of the Opposition and three key committee chairpersons.

Congress group leader in the BMC, Ashraf Azmi, slammed the move, questioning the need for replacing Mahindra Scorpio-N SUVs amid the civic body's financial challenges and calling it an unnecessary expense.

The BJP, however, hit back, asserting that the proposal was not a unilateral decision but one cleared with the consent of leaders from all political parties.

BJP Alleges Political Hypocrisy

BJP group leader Ganesh Khankar termed the controversy unnecessary, stating that the proposal had been discussed and agreed upon across party lines.

“Going forward, whenever such a decision is taken, I will ensure that all leaders present sign their consent before approval, so that similar controversies do not arise,” he said.

Standing Committee Chairman Prabhakar Shinde also backed the proposal, alleging that Opposition members were aware of the decision and had agreed to it earlier. “It is incorrect to raise objections now over a matter that was discussed and accepted by all political parties,” he said.

A war of words erupted in the Standing Committee after ruling party members objected to Azmi raising the vehicle replacement proposal despite it not being on the agenda.

They accused him of deviating from the listed proceedings and demanded that the Chairman intervene. Azmi hit back, saying he was raising a larger concern over the BMC’s spending priorities and the urgent need for fiscal discipline.

Debate Over Vehicle Policy

Meanwhile, hitting back at the criticism, Khankar said the controversy was misplaced, clarifying that the BMC had not purchased the vehicles but had hired them on a wet lease basis. He pointed out that while the vehicles are rented, the civic body only pays for fuel and drivers.

Khankar alleged that the demand for upgrading vehicles had originally come from leaders of all political parties, but they were now distancing themselves from the decision.

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Mumbai: BMC's ₹1.5-Crore Vehicle Proposal Sparks Political Clash In Standing Committee

A BMC proposal to spend Rs 1.5 crore on hiring official vehicles for six political office-bearers sparked a clash in the Standing Committee. While the opposition questioned the expenditure, the BJP said all parties had earlier agreed to the proposal and defended the wet lease arrangement.