With Uddhav Thackeray and MVA in disarray, BJP sets its eyes on winning the BMC polls

Mumbai: While the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is still in disarray, the Bharatiya Janata Party has set its eyes on its next target. The BJP-Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena alliance has begun working towards dislodging the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

The saffron unit, led by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has set its eyes on removing the Uddhav Thackeray faction-led BMC from power as it seeks to control the richest civic body in the country. The Shiv Sena has been holding on to the BMC for the past 25 years.

However, with the BJP-Ekhnath Shinde taking over power in Maharashtra, the saffron unit feels this could be the best time to win the civic body polls for the first time.  

In fact, it is learnt that the top leadership of the BJP has asked the state leaders to properly strategise for the forthcoming polls and ensure victory for the saffron unit.

Polls to the BMC are scheduled to take place in September or October this year. This also is being seen as an opportunity by the BJP as the elections are likely soon after the monsoon season is over in the region. Senior leaders believe that this could help the BJP in securing the much-needed support from the people as most of them would have borne the brunt of civic issues and mess during the season.

“It would be the best possible time to seek votes of the people and the BJP will point it out that it is the Shiv Sena was the one responsible for the mess in the city and its suburbs,” a senior leader said.

In the last elections in 2017, out of 227 seats, Shiv Sena had secured 84 seats in the BMC, while the BJP was able to win 82 wards. 

Interestingly, the total number of wards has increased to 236 following redrawing of boundaries for the upcoming elections.

It is believed that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction may fight the polls in alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party in an attempt to regain the reins of power in the civic body. The MVA would be facing tough opposition from the BJP-Eknath Shinde-led Sena faction as they are now in power in the Maharashtra government.

Why winning BMC is important

Controlling the civic body that administers India’s economic capital is considered very important in Maharashtra politics. Apart from being the richest civic body in the country, ruling it also comes with a lot of political might and prestige.

The BJP feels that if it is able to dislodge the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena from the BMC, it could spell the death knell for the Thackeray family as it would deprive them of the funds to run their political faction.

With almost two-thirds of Shiv Sena MPs and MLAs already switching over to the Eknath Shinde faction, the takeover of the BMC would ensure the political demise of the Thackerays, a source pointed out.