The final day for filing nominations for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections witnessed significant political upheaval and last-minute drama on Tuesday, December 31, 2025. As alliances were finalized just a day before, nomination centres across Mumbai saw a heavy rush, with several former and sitting corporators rebelling against their parties after being denied tickets.
Token System Extends Deadline Amid Chaos
Although the official deadline for submitting nomination papers was 5 pm, a token system allowed candidates who had entered the premises earlier to file their documents even after the cut-off time. This led to prolonged activity at various centres as candidates and their supporters gathered in large numbers, reflecting the high stakes involved in the upcoming civic polls.
In several wards, open rebellion was reported after sitting corporators were dropped by their respective parties. This triggered a wave of defections and independent candidacies, disrupting carefully laid political plans.
Prominent Leaders Switch Sides in Ticket Protest
Nehal Shah, a two-time BJP corporator from ward number 177 in Parel, central Mumbai, announced she would contest as an independent. Shah, who represented the ward from 2012 to 2022, was replaced by Kalpesha Jesal Kothari. "I am loyal to the ideologies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis," Shah stated, explaining her decision to respect the loyalty of her workers and citizens by filing as an independent.
In Dadar, former Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Priti Patankar, a three-time sitting corporator from ward no 192, joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. This move came after the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) fielded Yashwant Killedar from her seat. Patankar promptly filed her nomination from the Shinde faction.
Adding to the cross-party shifts, former Congress corporator Clive Dias filed his nomination on a Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket. Dias, who served as corporator from Andheri’s ward number 86 between 2007 and 2012, was denied a ticket by the Congress this year.
Alliance Discontent Fuels Further Defections
The rebellion was not limited to local ward-level figures. Rakhee Jadhav, the former NCP chief in the BMC, filed her nomination from Ghatkopar on a BJP ticket. Jadhav, who had been the NCP’s group leader in the civic body, joined the BJP on Monday. She expressed resentment after her former party was offered only 10 seats by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS alliance. Jadhav represented the undivided NCP faction between 2017 and 2022.
The day's events underscore the intense internal friction and strategic calculations dominating the pre-election phase. With seasoned local representatives feeling sidelined, their decisions to rebel or switch allegiances could significantly impact the electoral dynamics in their respective wards.
The last-minute filings and public defections have set the stage for a fiercely contested BMC election, where local loyalty and anti-incumbency against party leadership will play crucial roles alongside broader political narratives.
