Ahead of the BMC election 2026, the Mahayuti alliance blends Marathi pride with governance performance, promising housing for Marathi manus, infrastructure upgrades, women-centric benefits, and global city standards for Mumbai by 2030
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File pic
As the Mahayuti, comprising Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, and Republican Party of India (A), on Sunday released its manifesto for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde harped on the issue of Marathi Pride, with promises to uplift Mumbai's Marathi Manus and protect the Marathi language and Marathi culture, especially by ensuring affordable housing for all Mumbaikars while also making Mumbai an internationally benchmarked city in the next five years.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on the other hand, focused on the Mahayuti's performance milestones across sectors of housing, road, railway, and metro transport; availability of water through the Gargai Dam; better solid waste management, especially with the waste-to-energy project at Deonar Dumping Ground; sewage treatment plants; health; and creation of employment through high-paying jobs, keeping up with the international trend of creating global capacity centres.
He announced that at the end of their BMC government's tenure of 5 years (2030), an action taken report along with a fact sheet will be presented against the promises made in this Mahayuti Manifesto.
After the alliance Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS and NCP (SP) released their manifesto last Sunday, and the Congress Party released their manifesto later in the week, all eyes were on the present ruling coalition of Maharashtra for its manifesto for the BMC election 2026. Notably, NCP, led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, will not contest the BMC elections as part of the coalition.
Mahayuti's manifesto was published at the hands of Fadnavis, Shinde, and RPI chief Ramdas Athavale. It features Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, and Anand Dighe, who Shinde considers his political guru.
Other BJP and Shiv Sena leaders also present on the dais for this occasion were Vinod Tawde, Ashish Shelar, Amit Satam, Milind Deora, and Rahul Shewale.
Among the financial sops announced as part of the manifesto are a 50 per cent fare reduction in BEST for all women, no hike in water tax for the next 5 years, and interest-free loans for women up to Rs 5 lakh to start their own businesses.
Speaking on the occasion, Eknath Shinde said, "We are releasing Mahayuti's manifesto at the hands of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Today's manifesto is for Mumbaikars to better their everyday life. We have the Mahayuti government at the Centre and state, and on January 15, the Mahayuti government will be formed in BMC. This will mark the true makeover of Mumbai."
Shinde added, "In 3.5 years we have worked in Mumbai, and this work is in front of you. With me as CM for the first 2.5 years and Devendra Fadnavis as CM for the past year. This is for the wellbeing of Mumbai's Marathi people and the protection of the Marathi language and Marathi culture."
Speaking about the MMR region, Shinde said, "The core Mumbaikar who has gone out of Mumbai, we will bring them back respectfully. They have shifted to Vasai Virar, Nalasopara, Badlapur, etc. Who is responsible for this?"
Fadnavis said, "In the past few years, we have made efforts and instilled confidence in Mumbaikars that their issues can be solved. We have done a lot of work to actually solve these issues. Even if anyone else gives their manifesto, our track record shows that we will ensure all promises are fulfilled."
The Chief Minister also added, "Mumbai's Marathi manus should not have to leave Mumbai; we will give them homes in Mumbai. We have done this in Abhyudaya Nagar, BDD Chawl, and Patra Chawl. Some people only speak of homes for Marathi manus, but we are the action takers."
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
