Aspirants from other parties, including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), also appeared for interviews, an official statement said
Shiv Sena is witnessing an overwhelming response from aspirants, the party said. Pic/Eknath Shinde's office
The Eknath Shinde-Shiv Sena have received record number of women candidates' requests to contest the upcoming BMC Elections 2026 with more than 2,700 candidates so far interviewed for 227 municipal wards in Mumbai, the party said on Thursday.
According to an official statement, the party conducted interviews at Rangsharda, organised constituency-wise based on Mumbai’s Lok Sabha constituencies, to ensure selection of the most suitable candidates. Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale shared this information at a press conference in Mumbai. Party secretary Sanjay More and deputy leader Sheetal Mhatre were also present.
Shewale said the overwhelming response was due to the work carried out by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during his two-and-a-half-year tenure as Chief Minister. The development projects implemented across Mumbai and Maharashtra have boosted confidence among aspirants.
“Shiv Sena’s interview programme received an unparalleled response compared to other parties. Aspirants are confident of victory due to the influence of Shinde and the work done by our party in Mumbai,” Shewale said.
Shiv Sena’s focus on women participation
While the exact number of women aspirants was not disclosed, the party noted an increase in female candidates stepping forward to contest the elections, signalling a growing emphasis on women’s representation in municipal governance, an official party statement said.
Shiv Sena will contest the municipal elections as part of the Mahayuti alliance, aiming to secure a majority and continue its developmental agenda in Mumbai.
Multi-party participation in interviews
Aspirants from other parties, including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), also appeared for interviews, highlighting the competitive nature of the selection process. Shiv Sena has appointed three observers to ensure transparency in the selection of candidates, the statement said.
Party confident of victory in Mumbai polls
The statement further said that the party leaders have stated, "Eknath Shinde, during his earlier two-and-a-half-year tenure as Maharashtra Chief Minister, has left a strong impact through the developmental work carried out across the state and in Mumbai. As a result, Shiv Sena is confident of victory. Due to Shinde’s influence, Shiv Sena is witnessing an overwhelming response from aspirants to contest the upcoming polls on party's ticket."
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