Mumbai: The results of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections mark a historic turning point for Uddhav Thackeray and his faction of the Shiv Sena, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, or UBT). After 25 years of uninterrupted control over India’s richest civic body, the party has been unseated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), signaling the end of an era and ushering in a new political landscape for Mumbai and Maharashtra’s urban politics.

For decades, the BMC was not just an administrative institution—it was the heartbeat of Shiv Sena’s political and financial influence. Control over the civic body provided the party with access to lucrative municipal budgets, development contracts, and a robust grassroots network that translated into electoral strength across the state. Losing the BMC therefore represents more than just an electoral defeat; it is a structural blow to the Sena (UBT)’s power and resources.

The Electoral Outcome

In the 227-member BMC, the BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats, while its ally Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) won 29 seats. Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) finished with 65 seats, which, while insufficient to retain control, was enough to maintain its position as the principal Shiv Sena faction in Mumbai. The Congress, which contested in alliance with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), secured just 24 seats—the party’s lowest-ever tally in the BMC—while smaller parties like AIMIM and the MNS accounted for the remainder.

The broader municipal elections in Maharashtra further highlighted the BJP’s dominance. The Mahayuti alliance, led by the BJP, won 23 of the state’s 29 municipal corporations, consolidating urban control and reinforcing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s position. The result underscores the BJP’s growing influence in cities across Maharashtra, particularly in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur, which collectively represent a significant portion of the state’s industrial and economic base.

Focused Fight, Diminished Prize

Facing limited resources, Uddhav Thackeray had mounted a Mumbai-centric campaign, emphasizing Marathi identity, welfare measures for the ‘Marathi manoos’, and the party’s traditional grassroots network. A notable element of the campaign was the reconciliation with his cousin Raj Thackeray, aiming to consolidate the Marathi vote by reducing fragmentation.

While this strategy yielded some success in south-central Mumbai—especially from Dadar to Byculla, where the Sena (UBT) retained strong support—it ultimately fell short of holding the BMC. Comparatively, Eknath Shinde’s Sena faction won 29 seats, confirming Uddhav Thackeray’s continued dominance as the primary Shiv Sena face in Mumbai despite losing the civic body.

Why the Loss Hits Hard

The loss of the BMC represents more than just a symbolic defeat. The civic body controlled access to patronage networks, organisational resources, and visibility that allowed the Shiv Sena to maintain influence far beyond Mumbai. Without it, the Sena (UBT) now faces a resource-constrained political environment, even as demographic changes in Mumbai make it difficult to rely solely on a nativist Marathi-centric agenda.

Moreover, the Opposition space in Mumbai has been reshaped. With Congress reduced to a marginal presence, Uddhav Thackeray now emerges as the de facto Opposition leader in the city. This role offers a platform but also carries significant challenges, including preventing internal defections, navigating the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, and charting his own political path as his term in the Legislative Council concludes in May.

The Road Ahead

To regain relevance, Uddhav Thackeray will need to reimagine the Sena (UBT)’s politics. The party’s future success will hinge on broadening its appeal beyond core Marathi voters, building alliances capable of countering the BJP, and leveraging its symbolic legacy to maintain visibility.

While the BMC defeat closes a chapter of institutional dominance, it does not erase the political capital and loyal support base that Uddhav Thackeray retains in Mumbai. By retaining control over the Thackeray legacy and holding pockets of committed support, the Sena (UBT) still has a platform to attempt a political reset—albeit a narrower and more challenging one than before.

Analysts suggest that strategic coalition-building, issue-based campaigning, and a focus on governance rather than identity politics may define the Sena (UBT)’s efforts in the coming years. The party’s challenge will be to transform from a resource-rich machine controlling the city’s purse strings to a principled Opposition force capable of influencing urban policy and regaining voter confidence.

Conclusion

The BMC election results are a moment of reckoning for Uddhav Thackeray. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has lost its institutional stronghold and must adapt to a changing political and demographic environment in Mumbai. Yet, by retaining its committed core, asserting symbolic control over the Thackeray legacy, and focusing on strategic recalibration, the party can seek to rebuild influence and remain relevant in Maharashtra’s urban political landscape.

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