Non-Marathi representation highest in BMC history, up from 72 in 2017 to 80 in 2026; this year too, the BJP leads with 38 non-Marathi corporators, the highest among all parties
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters in Fort. PIC/SAMEER SAYYED ABEDI
Non-Marathi representation in Mumbai’s civic politics has touched a record high, even as the Thackeray cousins join hands to take on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on the Marathi pride plank. According to newly elected corporators, the BMC now has 80 non-Marathi representatives, the highest number in the civic body’s history. In 2017, of the 72 non-Marathi corporators elected, 36 were from the BJP.
This year too, the BJP leads with 38 non-Marathi corporators, the highest among all parties. The Congress follows with 18, while AIMIM has eight such corporators. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction has six non-Marathi corporators, while the Eknath Shinde-led Sena has three. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also has three, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has two, and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has just one non-Marathi corporator.
The numbers point to a clear shift in Mumbai’s political landscape, with voters increasingly moving beyond traditional regional identities. Not surprisingly, both MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray said after the results that the political battle was far from over. The cousins vowed to continue their campaign for the pride of Marathi people and the future of Maharashtra.
A view of the BMC headquarters in South Mumbai, as civic politics reflects a shifting demographic and record non-Marathi representation in the new House. File Pic/Ashish Raje
However, ticket distribution across parties shows a continued reliance on Marathi candidates even as non-Marathi representation rises. Of the 163 seats contested by Shiv Sena (UBT), the party fielded 143 Marathi candidates. The Congress contested 152 seats with 61 Marathi nominees. The BJP, which fought 137 seats, fielded 93 Marathi candidates.
Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena contested 90 seats with 72 Marathi candidates, while the MNS contested 52 seats and fielded 47 Marathi candidates. Last week, in an interview with mid-day, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said his party believes in inclusive rather than divisive politics. He added that it would be incorrect to assume that the Thackeray cousins represent the entire Marathi community.
“The BJP also has strong support among Marathi voters,” Fadnavis said, responding to the Marathi pride narrative pushed by Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS ahead of the BMC elections.
As India’s financial capital, Mumbai has attracted people from across the country for decades. Communities from North India, Gujarat, South India and other regions have steadily grown, particularly in the suburbs. This demographic shift is now clearly reflected in the composition of the civic body.
The changing pattern is not limited to civic polls alone. The 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections also highlighted the trend, with 13 of Mumbai’s 36 MLAs being non-Marathi, including seven from the BJP, underlining the party’s expanding appeal among non-Marathi voters as well as a section of Marathi voters.
BMC Election Results 2026: Full ward-wise list of winners
Hotel politics back in spotlight after polls
Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena has once again sparked political chatter with its “hotel politics”. On Saturday, the party shifted its newly elected corporators to a hotel in Bandra. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut questioned the move, suggesting that Shinde’s camp feared poaching of corporators. “Whether they are confined to a hotel or not does not matter. If anyone has to be contacted, it can be done anyway,” Raut said.
CM Devendra Fadnavis also reacted to the development, telling the media, “Poaching is history. Those days are gone,” ruling out any possibility of horse-trading. While political circles speculate that the move was driven by fears of poaching, leaders from the Shinde camp have denied the claim. Political analysts, however, say the decision may be linked to the party’s poor performance in the Mumbai civic elections, possibly shifting attention away from the results.
80
No of non-Marathi corporators in BMC in 2026
72
No of non-Marathi corporators in BMC in 2017
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