Mumbai: The measure of how crucial the Maharashtra local bodies’ polls are is apparent in the confusion that has beset both the Mahayuti and MVA ahead of the elections. From going solo in a few local bodies to forming unlikely alliances or announcing an alliance only to back out within hours, infighting, breaking of ranks—nothing is clear.
In this situation, where everything is tentative, Maharashtra leaders are looking at the resounding victory of the NDA in Bihar to show them the way ahead.
“The alliances, especially at the local level are looking at personal and vested interests, it seems. And so no one is really looking at what the voter wants. The real issues of voters like water supply, roads are overlooked and alliances are not ready to solve them,” said political analyst Prakash Bal.
Speaking about the Bihar results, Bal also said they would certainly impact Mumbai and other local body polls, “especially because of how weak the Congress is looking at the moment”.
Another political analyst Abhay Deshpande said the Bihar results will diminish the Congress’ bargaining power, and add to the BJP’s clout within the Mahayuti.
Mahayuti tussle
While there is some clarity as far as BJP’s plans for Mumbai are concerned—there will be an alliance—there is no decision yet for the rest of the state.
In Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali and Navi Mumbai areas—considered the MMR—both BJP and Shinde Shiv Sena Shinde are strong and both parties want to establish their prominence.
In Thane, the backyard of Deputy Chief minister Eknath Shinde, BJP minister Ganesh Naik who is from Navi Mumbai, has time and again said they want to go solo. Naik has recently been appointed election in-charge of MMR districts.
“Naik is a tough man and deals in touch situations. Besides, his presence in the region is quite strong, which will help out party,” said a BJP leader.
In Kalyan and Dombivali, where BJP state president Ravindra Chavan has a strong presence, they have poached Sena UBT strongman Dipesh Mhatre, beating Eknath Shinde’s Sena to it. Hitting back, Shinde Sena inducted two former BJP corporators, Vikas Mhatre and Kavita Mhatre
On Tuesday, BJP held a three-hour meeting to strategise for the upcoming local body polls. Chandrashekhar Bawankule has been appointed the election in-charge for Maharashtra. He said, that wherever possible, the Mahayuti would fight together, even though the BJP is expecting to emerge as the single largest party.
“We will ensure that there are no differences or discord within Mahayuti partners and coordination will be our priority,” Bawankule told the media on Wednesday.
Adding to the confusion, in the backdrop of a tussle among Mahayuti partners during seat sharing in Chandgad in Kolhapur, two rival NCP factions have joined hands.
“This is quite serious. In Kolhapur, the relationship between Eknath Shinde Sena and Ajit Pawar NCP isn’t good. Besides, in Kalyan & Dombivali, the BJP and Sena issue has been going on for a long time now. They are leaving no stone unturned to get back at each other,” political analyst Hemant Desai told ThePrint.
“All this is happening because BJP wants to control its allies and as far as allies are concerned, they want to expand their power,” he added.
MVA confusion
Since the debacle in the assembly elections, the future of MVA has been under a cloud.
There is an undercurrent of unhappiness between the partners, with the Congress alleging that Shiv Sena UBT did not work hard enough for their candidates and as a result the Sena UBT votes did not transfer to the Congress.
On top of this, the undying rumour about a tie-up between Sena UBT and MNS has distanced Congress further.
“We have asked our local units to decide on alliances for upcoming polls. However, we have no issues joining hands with INDIA partners but not anybody other than that. Tomorrow, if our local units want to ally with MNS, or AIMIM, that won’t be tolerated. There has to be some line,” Harshvardhan Sapkal, Congress state president told ThePrint.
However, on Monday, the Nashik unit of Congress held a joint press conference with the MNS and announced an alliance for the local body polls.
Speaking to the media, local unit chief of Congress Rahul Dive said, “We need to join hands to defeat communal forces. We will send a proposal to our party for the alliance.”
But hours later, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal denied there was any such alliance and sent show cause notices to the local unit.
On Thursday, Sapkal met other leaders of the Maharashtra Congress and it was decided that there will be an alliance with VBA, PWP and other like-minded small parties.
“However, there is no proposal to ally with MNS from anywhere and there won’t be any alliance with Mahayuti partners or AIMIM,” Sapkal said.
Several Congress leaders told ThePrint that in Mumbai especially, the local unit is of the opinion that they should fight solo.
“Our vote bank consists of Muslims and Dalits and even north Indians. Sena UBT’s popularity amongst Muslims is growing. Why should we share our vote bank with them?” asked a Congress leader.
“What Congress will do is a decision the high command will take, not local leaders. But if Congress fights separately, I think it won’t benefit them because their organisational strength in Mumbai is weak. But I feel both these alliances will sort these things out in few days,” political analyst Hemant Desai said.
Bihar results and their impact
In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), north Indians form a large part of the population after Marathis and Gujaratis. Therefore, the NDA’s victory in Bihar is expected to have a big impact on MMR voters.
BJP’s emergence as the single largest party in Bihar has given the party a shot in the arm nationally. It might even strengthen the Mahayuti in Maharashtra, analysts believe.
“Congress needs to prioritise what they want—to defeat BJP or strengthen their party. Because one cannot win by going solo. And if Congress goes solo, they might even drag down Uddhav Thackeray Sena in Mumbai,” said political analyst Prakash Bal.
After the results, though Shiv Sena UBT leader Ambadas Danve blamed Congress for the poor performance in Bihar, MP Sanjay Raut wrote on social media that it was expected and blamed EC and BJP for being hand in glove.
“Nothing is surprising after Bihar results. This is Maharashtra pattern. The alliance (Mahagatbandhan) that was going to come to power, was bundled out under 50,” tweeted Sanjay Raut.
बिहाराच्या विधानसभा निवडणुका निकालाने धक्का बसण्याची गरज नाही
निवडणूक आयोग आणि बी जे पी यांचे हातात हात घालून जे राष्ट्रीय कार्य सुरू होते ते पाहता यापेक्षा वेगळा निकाल लागणे शक्य नव्हते!
एकदम महाराष्ट्र पॅटर्न!
जी आघाडी सत्तेवर येणार याची खात्री होती त्याना ५० च्या आत संपवले!
— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) November 14, 2025
After the Bihar results, speaking to the media, senior Congress leader in the state Vijay Wadettiwar said that MVA needs to work out its strategy for local body polls.
“We have accepted it (Bihar results). Loss and win are part and parcel of elections. But the worry is whether democracy will survive or not,” said Vijay Wadettiwar.
“There is no point discussing what happened in Maharashtra in the past. But we need to think what we will do next. And MVA should have a mindset to come together in upcoming all elections,” added Wadettiwar.
Political analyst Abhay Deshpande said that after the Bihar results, “it is important to see whether Raj and Uddhav will see Congress as baggage or as a party that can bring north Indian voters to their side. So they will also have to reconsider whether to they want a prepoll alliance with the Congress or not.”
The Mahayuti is elated with the Bihar results and hopes for a repeat in the BMC and other polls. “The fake narrative on vote chori was dismantled by voters. Bihar is just a trailer. Opposition will see the whole movie during the Mumbai municipal corporation elections and local body polls, where they will be bundled out,” Ameet Satam, BJP Mumbai president, told the media.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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