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BJP and Shiv Sena Eknath Shinde faction agreed on 150 BMC seats in Mumbai, aiming for a Mahayuti mayor. BMC polls are set for January 15.
According to sources, the local body elections are expected to be held in three phases. (PTI File)
BMC Polls 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) have reached a consensus on 150 of the 227 seats in Mumbai for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, with discussions on the remaining 77 seats expected to be completed within the next two to three days, Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam said.
“We have arrived at a consensus on 150 seats. Talks on the remaining 77 seats are ongoing and will be concluded soon. The final decision on these seats will be taken with the concurrence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde,” the BJP Mumbai chief said while addressing a press conference, news agency PTI reported.
He, however, clarified that there would be no alliance with the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which has appointed former minister Nawab Malik as coordinator for the high-stakes polls.
The two Mahayuti allies held a marathon meeting at the BJP’s Dadar office on Thursday. They sealed details on contesting 150 seats, most of which had sitting corporators from either the Sena or BJP when the BMC’s five-year term came to an end in March 2022.
Satam said that the objective of the seat-sharing formula is to provide corruption-free civic administration in Mumbai.
“It is not important who contests how many seats. The Mahayuti will contest all 227 seats and win more than 150 seats, ensuring that a Mahayuti mayor is elected. The BJP, Shiv Sena and RPI are committed to fulfilling the aspirations of Mumbaikars,” he said.
Taking a scathing dig at the opposition, Satam alleged that those who had “ruled the BMC for 25 years indulged in corruption and sold Mumbai”, and said any attempts to change the city’s character for electoral gains would be defeated. He also ruled out any association with the NCP led by Nawab Malik, citing “serious allegations” against him.
Echoing similar sentiments, Maharashtra Minister and Sena leader Uday Samant asserted that the alliance would not break over seat-sharing or any other issue and reiterated the Mahayuti’s claim of winning over 150 seats in the BMC elections to realise what he described as the “dream of Mumbaikars”.
BMC Polls
The Mumbai civic body or the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the country’s richest corporation, will go to polls on January 15, with counting of votes on January 16.
The State Election Commission on Monday announced the poll schedule for BMC, along with 28 other civic corporations. As many as 2,869 seats in these municipal corporations will be up for grabs, said State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare, adding that 3.48 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in these major urban centres of the state.
The elections for all 29 corporations, including Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, will be held in a single phase. The code of conduct has come into effect from today.
Voting will take place in 227 wards in Mumbai and 111 wards in Navi Mumbai.
(With inputs from agencies)
December 19, 2025, 17:01 IST
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