03 January,2026 10:03 PM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev Shivadekar
The rally marked the first joint public meeting of the BJP–Shinde Sena alliance. Pic/Sameer Abedi
With the battle for control of Mumbai civic body intensifying ahead of the BMC Election 2026, the ruling Mahayuti alliance on Saturday launched a sharp political attack on its rivals while projecting development and governance as its core agenda.
Addressing a joint rally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the BMC elections as a contest to change Mumbai's image and improve the lives of its citizens.
Fadnavis said the Mahayuti was a coalition that delivered on its promises, unlike others who, he claimed, relied only on empty rhetoric -- a veiled reference to the Shiv Sena (UBT).
"Vote us to power in the BMC and see the difference we make to the city," the Chief Minister urged.
Fadnavis also used the rally to counter claims made by the Thackeray cousins over the Marathi identity of Mumbai's leadership.
"Mumbai's mayor will be Marathi only," he said.
The rally marked the first joint public meeting of the BJP-Shinde Sena alliance for the prestigious civic polls. The undivided Shiv Sena ruled the BMC for nearly 25 years. Until 2017, the Shiv Sena and the BJP jointly governed the civic body before contesting separately in that year's elections. In 2017, the undivided Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 84 seats, while the BJP followed closely with 82 seats in the 227-member civic body.
Echoing similar views, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that Balasaheb Thackeray was "the only brand". He was responding to claims by Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray that the Thackeray brand had reunited.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) have claimed that if the BJP-Shinde alliance comes to power, Mumbai could get a non-Marathi mayor. Both Fadnavis and Shinde reiterated that Mumbai's mayor would be Marathi.
In 2022, Shinde led a rebellion within the Shiv Sena that forced Uddhav Thackeray to step down as chief minister, leading to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Shinde later joined hands with the BJP to form a new government in Maharashtra.
Continuing his attack, Shinde said during the rally, "It was Balasaheb Thackeray's dream to see the Ram temple constructed, and Narendra Modi fulfilled it. Those who tried to create hurdles in Mumbai Metro projects should answer to the people."
He added that Modi had provided Mumbai with much-needed projects and support, which, he claimed, earlier Congress-led governments at the Centre had failed to deliver. Rejecting allegations that the Union government was weakening Mumbai, Shinde said it was instead working to strengthen and unite the city.
"We must bring a government aligned with our ideology to the BMC," Shinde said, appealing to citizens to vote for the BJP-Shinde-led Shiv Sena alliance.
Elections to the BMC and 28 other municipal corporations will be held on January 15, with counting scheduled for the following day.
With civic polls approaching, the Fadnavis-Shinde leadership is seeking to wrest control of Mumbai's civic body from the Thackeray-led camp, promising improved infrastructure, better governance and faster development to reassert political dominance in the city.
Calling for stricter law enforcement and infrastructure expansion, Fadnavis said his government's priority was to make Mumbai more safer and more liveable. He added that authorities would identify and take action against illegal Bangladeshi migrants living in the city and deport those found to be staying unlawfully.
Launching another veiled attack on the Thackeray cousins, Fadnavis said, "The Marathi manoos has been pushed out of the city over the years. Who is responsible for the decline of Mumbai's traditional working-class communities, including mill workers?"
Concluding his speech, the Chief Minister outlined plans to ease daily commuting problems.
"New roads, bridges, tunnels and freeways are part of a larger plan to decongest traffic and reduce travel time," Fadnavis said, adding that Mumbaikars should not have to spend hours stuck on the roads.
