Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jan 18: Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday termed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections held on January 15 as a “strange” and unusually desperate battle, alleging that his opponents resorted to unfair and extreme measures to secure victory.
Addressing a press conference a day after the results were declared, Thackeray accused the ruling alliance of using “every method possible”, including cash distribution and the alleged kidnapping of candidates, to force withdrawals. “This election was very strange. It felt like a life-and-death election for them. They opted for all methods, from cash to kidnapping our candidates, and forced them to withdraw their nominations,” he claimed.
Despite the setback, Thackeray praised Mumbai’s voters for standing firm amid alleged intimidation attempts. Calling voters the “saviours of democracy”, he said those who were not scared had shown that the strength of Shiv Sena (UBT) remained intact at the grassroots level.
He also expressed gratitude to those who supported the Shiv Shakti Alliance, a first-time collaboration between his faction and cousin Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Thackeray apologised for not being able to campaign in several areas and thanked voters who backed the alliance. “I could not visit many locations to campaign, but we received a good response in several places. I apologise to voters where I could not reach and thank those who voted for the Shiv Shakti Alliance,” he said.
Admitting that his party’s aspiration to have a Shiv Sena (UBT) Mayor in the BMC remained unfulfilled, Thackeray said the results nevertheless reflected the party’s resilience. “The wish to have our Mayor wasn’t fulfilled, but the results have definitely shown the strength of Shiv Sena UBT,” he remarked.
The 2026 BMC elections marked a major political shift in Mumbai after nearly three decades of Thackeray family dominance. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while the BJP–Shinde Sena-led Mahayuti alliance crossed the halfway mark with 118 seats. Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 65 seats, polling 7,17,736 votes, or 13.13 per cent of the total vote share. The MNS won 6 seats with 74,946 votes, while the Congress secured 24 seats with 2,42,646 votes.
Following the Mahayuti’s sweeping victory, political activity intensified in Mumbai, with reports of hotel politics as newly elected Shiv Sena corporators were shifted to a hotel in Bandra. Sources said the Shinde-led Sena is likely to stake claim for the Mayor’s post as part of the party’s centenary celebrations marking founder Bal Thackeray’s 100th birth anniversary on January 23.
However, clarity on the Mayor’s post is awaited due to pending issues related to reservations. In November 2025, the Supreme Court observed that OBC reservations in several municipal bodies had exceeded the 50 per cent cap and said the State Election Commission’s decisions would remain subject to further proceedings, with the matter listed for hearing before a three-judge bench in January 2026.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is set to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos and is expected to return only by January 24. He said the decision on the Mayor’s post would be taken collectively with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and party leaders, asserting that there was “no dispute whatsoever” on the issue.