The Mumbai Congress appears poised to navigate the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections independently, embracing an "Ekla Chalo" strategy after setbacks in Bihar and internal deliberations. This decision marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Maharashtra, as parties gear up for the high-stakes municipal polls.
Several factors have contributed to this strategic recalibration. Dissatisfaction within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, particularly concerning the potential inclusion of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), has fueled the Congress's desire to chart its own course. Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar has confirmed the party's decision to contest the BMC elections independently, emphasizing the party's strong organizational base and grassroots presence across the city.
Internal party meetings, chaired by state in-charge Ramesh Chennithala, solidified the consensus among functionaries to reject electoral tie-ups, including those with the MNS. This sentiment, strongly advocated by district-level representatives, has shaped the Congress's new urban electoral strategy. While decisions regarding other municipal corporations in Maharashtra are still under review, the focus for Mumbai is firmly on contesting independently.
This decision follows the Bihar election results, which saw the Congress facing rejection across the country, according to Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan. The Congress is also wary of a possible alliance with MNS, ensuring it does not impact its North Indian vote base. The party seems to be adopting a more cautious approach to alliances, learning from past experiences where it opposed decisions made by the Thackeray faction and highlighted the lack of support from the latter.
The Mumbai Congress has already launched a campaign titled "Mahayuti Sarkar Mast, Mumbaikar Trast," accusing the ruling coalition and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of corruption and mismanagement in the city's civic body. Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad has accused the BJP and its allies of turning the BMC into a hub of corruption, alleging manipulation of rules and tender conditions to favor select contractors. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant has stated that the campaign's central theme will be to expose corruption, irregularities, and financial mismanagement in Mumbai's civic projects, emphasizing accountability and transparency.
As the campaign gains momentum, Congress leaders are expected to hold press conferences, rallies, and social media drives to highlight corruption cases. Political analysts suggest that if the Congress can sustain this narrative and tap into citizen anger over civic mismanagement, it could boost its chances in the BMC polls, even without the MVA alliance.
Meanwhile, the BMC is gearing up for the elections, likely to be held in January 2026, with a lottery determining ward reservations. The lottery was held for all 227 seats in Mumbai, with 61 reserved for Other Backward Class (OBC), 15 for Scheduled Castes (SC), and two for Scheduled Tribes (ST). The upcoming 2025 election will expand the corporation to 236 elected members, with nine new wards added across urban, western, and eastern suburbs.
While the Congress has ruled out alliances with the Mahayuti, MNS, and AIMIM, it is open to alliances with smaller and "like-minded" parties for the local body elections. Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal has stated that while local units have the autonomy to form alliances, the Congress is bound by its core ideology.
The "Ekla Chalo" approach signals a new phase in the Mumbai Congress's urban electoral strategy, focusing on strengthening its base, raising issues of corruption and mismanagement, and carefully considering alliances with smaller parties.
