Mumbai, January 17, 2026 — Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has reignited memories of one of the most controversial episodes of her public life after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the single-largest party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Reacting strongly to the results, Ranaut congratulated the BJP leadership and took a pointed swipe at the Shiv Sena, recalling the 2020 demolition of her bungalow in Bandra West and describing her political rivals as “women-haters, bullies, and the nepotism mafia.”

Ranaut’s remarks came soon after the BJP registered a historic performance in Mumbai’s civic polls, marking a major shift in the political control of India’s richest municipal body. For the first time in decades, the Shiv Sena — which once dominated the BMC — has been pushed out of power, while the BJP consolidated its position not just in Mumbai but across Maharashtra’s urban centres.

BJP’s Big Win in Mumbai

According to official data released by the State Election Commission, the BJP won 89 seats in the BMC, polling 11,79,273 votes, which accounted for 21.58 per cent of the total votes cast. The party’s overall vote share among winning candidates stood at 45.22 per cent, making it the single-largest party in the 227-member civic body.

The results are being seen as a political milestone for the BJP, which has steadily expanded its footprint in Maharashtra’s municipal politics. Beyond Mumbai, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won 25 of the 29 municipal corporations in the state, including key urban centres such as Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Thane, Nashik, and Navi Mumbai.

The outcome also marks a dramatic fall for the Shiv Sena, which had controlled the BMC for over two decades before internal splits and shifting alliances weakened its hold.

Kangana Ranaut Celebrates, Takes Aim at Rivals

Welcoming the BJP’s victory, Kangana Ranaut congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, describing the election outcome as a moment of reckoning for those who, according to her, misused power to target political opponents.

Speaking to NDTV, the BJP MP from Mandi said the BMC results symbolised justice being delivered by the people of Maharashtra. “And for those who abused me, demolished my house, called me names, threatened me to leave Maharashtra, today Maharashtra has quit them,” she said.

Ranaut added that she felt vindicated by the verdict. “I am glad such women-haters, bullies, and nepotism mafia are being shown their right place by the janta janardan,” she remarked, using a phrase often employed to describe the collective will of the people.

Her comments were widely interpreted as a direct reference to the Shiv Sena leadership that controlled the BMC in 2020, when a portion of her bungalow in Bandra West was demolished by civic authorities.

The 2020 Demolition Controversy

The demolition of Kangana Ranaut’s bungalow in the upscale Pali Hill area of Bandra West was one of the most high-profile civic actions in Mumbai in recent years. In September 2020, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation razed parts of the property, citing alleged unauthorised alterations.

At the time, Ranaut claimed that the action was politically motivated and carried out in retaliation for her outspoken criticism of the Mumbai Police and the then Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government. The demolition took place while she was out of Mumbai, triggering massive political and media backlash.

Ranaut subsequently approached the Bombay High Court, challenging the BMC’s action. In a strongly worded order, the court stayed further demolition and later ruled that the civic body’s action appeared to be “actuated by malafide” and carried out in “complete disregard” of the actor’s legal rights.

The court’s observations significantly bolstered Ranaut’s claim that the demolition was not a routine civic exercise but an act of political vendetta.

A Lingering Political Flashpoint

For Ranaut, the 2020 episode has remained a defining moment in her transition from a film star to a political figure. At the time, she was engaged in a bitter public feud with sections of the film industry and the Maharashtra establishment, accusing them of intolerance, nepotism, and silencing dissenting voices.

The demolition incident propelled her further into the national political spotlight and cemented her image as a fierce critic of the Shiv Sena and its allies. Her subsequent entry into electoral politics, culminating in her election as a BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi constituency, has only amplified the political weight of her statements.

The BJP’s triumph in the BMC elections has now given Ranaut an opportunity to revisit that chapter, framing the results as a moral and political victory over those she believes wronged her.

Changing Political Landscape in Mumbai

The BMC election results are being viewed as a turning point in Mumbai’s civic and political history. The Shiv Sena’s loss of control over the municipal corporation reflects not just organisational setbacks but also voter fatigue with long-standing incumbency.

Analysts say the BJP’s success can be attributed to a combination of factors, including aggressive grassroots campaigning, consolidation of urban voters, and the fragmentation of the opposition due to internal splits within the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party.

For the BJP, control of the BMC is strategically significant. With an annual budget that often exceeds that of several Indian states, the civic body plays a crucial role in infrastructure development, urban planning, public health, and transportation in Mumbai.

Ranaut’s Remarks Stir Political Debate

Predictably, Kangana Ranaut’s sharp comments have sparked debate, with supporters praising her for “speaking her truth” and critics accusing her of politicising a civic election outcome. While leaders from the Shiv Sena have so far refrained from issuing detailed responses, party insiders have dismissed her remarks as personal grievances being aired in a political moment.

Nevertheless, Ranaut’s statements underscore how deeply the 2020 demolition episode continues to resonate in Maharashtra’s political discourse, particularly as power equations shift.

Looking Ahead

As the BJP prepares to assume greater control over Mumbai’s civic administration, attention will now turn to the formation of committees, the selection of key office-bearers, and the party’s governance roadmap for the city.

For Kangana Ranaut, the BMC verdict represents more than just an electoral outcome. It is, in her telling, a symbolic closure to a bitter chapter — one where she believes the electorate has delivered its own judgment on those who once wielded civic power against her.

Whether her remarks will further polarise political narratives or fade into the broader story of the BJP’s municipal sweep remains to be seen, but for now, Ranaut has made it clear that she views the BMC results as a personal and political vindication.