The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has recorded a landmark victory in the Maharashtra municipal elections, ending a 25-year electoral drought. Under its banner, the party secured control of 25 out of 29 municipal corporations across the state. In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, marking a dramatic shift in Maharashtra’s urban political landscape.
At the center of this triumph stands Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. His strategic leadership not only propelled the BJP to victory but also significantly weakened rival forces, particularly Uddhav Thackeray. With successive wins in both assembly and municipal elections, Fadnavis has consolidated his position as the most influential BJP leader in the state, sidelining several regional heavyweights—including Sharad Pawar—and reshaping Maharashtra’s political hierarchy.
The BMC elections, widely regarded as the most prestigious and resource-rich municipal contest in Asia, proved historic. The BJP–Eknath Shinde alliance secured the highest number of seats, in line with exit poll predictions. For the Thackeray brothers, the election was widely seen as a fight for political survival, yet their final stronghold collapsed. This contest marked the third major electoral test since the Shiv Sena split in June 2022, and once again, the Shinde-led faction emerged victorious.
For nearly three decades, the Shiv Sena had governed Mumbai uninterrupted, making the BMC synonymous with the party’s identity. However, the internal division of the Sena transformed the 2017-style contest into a defining battle over political legitimacy. The central question loomed large: who is the true political heir of Bal Thackeray?
Uddhav Thackeray made concerted efforts to reassert his leadership and reclaim lost ground, even attempting to reunite his family to strengthen his position. Yet from the state assembly to municipal elections, the faction led by Eknath Shinde consistently outperformed his camp. Bal Thackeray’s legacy continues to dominate Maharashtra’s political imagination, and Shinde has effectively leveraged this symbolism—frequently invoking Thackeray’s image in public messaging and on social media—to bolster his credibility.
As a result, Uddhav Thackeray now faces an uphill battle. The erosion of his party’s traditional base, combined with the BJP-Shinde alliance’s momentum, has reshaped Maharashtra politics and left the question of the Thackeray legacy more contested than ever.
Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) has allied with his cousin Raj Thackeray to consolidate Marathi votes. Raj had broken away from the Shiv Sena in November 2005 to form the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), but this alliance alone doesn’t guarantee victory. The BJP, once the junior partner of the Shiv Sena, has now emerged as the dominant force. Not only in Mumbai, but across the country, the perception is that the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) is synonymous with the Shiv Sena, but few know that the Thackeray party has never secured a majority on its own. The Shiv Sena has always governed the municipal corporation through alliances.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray is known in Maharashtra politics for his politics of hate. Violence and abuse against non-Marathis in the name of Marathi identity have been the hallmark of his party workers. Raj Thackeray himself often lost control of his language during his rallies. During campaigning for the municipal elections, he said that people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar should understand that Hindi is not their language. He said, “I don’t hate the language, but if you try to impose it, I will kick you out.” Raj Thackeray didn’t stop there. He said that people were coming to Maharashtra from all sides and snatching away their share. He warned that if their land and language were taken away, they would be finished. This statement by Thackeray drew widespread condemnation. Uddhav Thackeray has made a big mistake by allying with Raj Thackeray’s MNS.
He said that while Uddhav Thackeray has contested assembly and Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Congress, his decision to partner with his cousin Raj Thackeray for the BMC elections was a major blunder. Raj Thackeray had little to offer in the BMC elections. The Congress is a much stronger force in Mumbai compared to the MNS. By abandoning the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray has made a huge mistake. His alliance with the MNS has alienated a large chunk of North Indian votes.
The BJP’s strength in Mumbai has increased significantly. Although Eknath Shinde is not very strong, the two parties came together for electoral gain. The BJP has a strong hold on North Indian, Gujarati, and South Indian voters, while Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena has a strong base among Marathi voters. Similar to Maharashtra politics, the Congress party’s influence in the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) has steadily declined. The NCP, on the other hand, has never had a significant presence in the BMC. Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena also proved weak in Mumbai, for several reasons. On the issue of Hindutva, the BJP and Shiv Sena appeared to be natural allies, but the alliance broke down due to the desire for the Chief Minister’s post. Despite ideological differences, the Shiv Sena formed a government with the Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP.
Uddhav Thackeray and his alliance partners clashed several times on various Hindutva-related issues. The government somehow managed to survive, but Eknath Shinde, rebelling against Uddhav Thackeray’s style of functioning, not only secured the Chief Minister’s post with the BJP’s support but also seized the Shiv Sena’s election symbol. The people of Mumbai completely rejected leaders who worked from home. They prioritized grassroots leaders who were committed to making Mumbai pothole-free and developing Maharashtra. Uddhav’s deviation from the Hindutva ideology proved costly, and his alliance with Raj Thackeray was seen by voters as opportunistic. Fadnavis’s “Ladki Behan” (beloved sister) scheme also attracted women voters.
