Mumbai: After a long wait, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is expected to announce the poll dates on Monday, December 15. The last BMC elections were held in 2017, and since then, the elections were not held. In 2017, the elections were held in a single held on February 21 while results were announced on February 23.
With the elections finally back on the agenda, the BMC polls have drawn attention not just in Maharashtra but also across the country. As India’s financial capital and home to the nation’s richest civic body, Mumbai’s municipal elections are seen as politically significant.
Who won the last BMC Elections in 2017?
Off all the 227 seats, the undivided Shiv Sena won 84 seats while BJP won 82 seats. Both parties were in alliance duing that time. The Congress had won 31 seats while the United NCP secured 13 seats. Raj Thackeray's MNS had won 7 seats.
Mahayuti vs MVA
In 2017, the Shiv Sena and the BJP were in alliance, but the state saw a massive political change in the scenario. With both the alliance parties parting ways, the Shiv Sena and NCP too got divided into two political parties. This came after Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar rebelled against Shiv Sena and NCP, respectively. Shinde's rebellion also led to the fall of rulling MVA in 2022, after which Mahayuti came to power.
Which Sena Will Have An Upper Hand In BMC Polls?
In the past four elections i.e. 2017, 2012, 2007 and 2002, it was seen that the United Shiv Sena individually secured highest number of seat, irrespective of their alliance with any other party. In 2017, the undivided Shiv Sena had an upper hand with winning 84 seats, while in 2012 polls, it had emerged as the single largest party with 75 seats, while Congress secured the second-highest tally at 52 seats, BJP won 31 seats, MNS won 28 seats.
In 2007, the Shiv Sena won 84 seats and the BJP secured 28 seats, while the Congress also performed well with 75 seats. The 2002 polls gave the alliance a clear edge, with the Shiv Sena winning 97 seats and the BJP 35 seats, while Congress won 61 seats. However, this time, the situation is different. The Shiv Sena is now split into two factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde and it will interesting to see as to which party wins an upper hand, making Mumbai’s municipal elections more competitive and unpredictable than before.
Thackeray Cousins Reunite
The BMC polls is also set to see a new dynamic as the Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj are set to unite after two decades. The brothers were first spotted together in July 2025, when they shared a stage at a rally opposing the "imposition of Hindi," their first public appearance together in nearly 20 years. Since then, their families have exchanged visits on special occasions, including birthdays, Ganpati celebrations, Diwali party to Bhai Dooj, and several political events.
Rift In MVA
With the Thackeray brothers joining hands, the Congress party, part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, has decided to run the polls independently. The Congress party decided to go solo based on ideological differences. Several sections of the Congress party are opposed to including Raj Thackeray in any alliance because of his strong stance against North Indian migrants.
Asia's Richest Civic Body
The BMC is known Asia's richest body because it manages the city's massive economy and infrastructure, boasting annual budgets exceeding those of many Indian states. For the fiscal year 2025-26, the BMC had unveiled its largest-ever budget, amounting to a staggering Rs 74,427 crores. This is reportedly four times higher than Bengaluru’s civic body budget which was around Rs 19,930 crore for 2025-26.
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