BMC Verdict Shows Uddhav's Sena Holds Mumbai Base
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election results deliver a clear message. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has retained a majority of the civic wards won by the undivided Shiv Sena in 2017. This comes despite the party losing overall control of the BMC.
Ward-by-Ward Numbers Tell the Story
Let's look at the hard numbers. The united Shiv Sena won 84 wards in the 2017 BMC elections. After the 2022 split, the distribution of these wards now stands as follows:
- 48 wards are with the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray.
- 18 wards have gone to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.
- 9 wards are now with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
- The remaining seats split between the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and smaller political parties.
These figures indicate a significant reality. The Uddhav faction holds onto more than half of the old Sena's civic base. This retention happens even though they will not control the municipal corporation.
Central Mumbai Remains Uddhav's Stronghold
The Shiv Sena (UBT)'s strongest performance comes from central and inner Mumbai. These areas historically formed the backbone of Shiv Sena politics. The data from key neighborhoods proves this point convincingly.
Consider Worli, Mahim, Sewri, Dharavi, Byculla, and Bandra East. The undivided Sena had won 23 wards across these areas in 2017. Today, 21 of these 23 wards are with the Sena (UBT). The remaining two went to the MNS and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
All five Worli wards once held by the undivided Sena have gone to the Uddhav faction. A similar pattern is visible in Mahim and Sewri. This includes areas around Shivaji Park, long regarded as the ideological center of the Shiv Sena.
In Dharavi, three of the four wards held by the undivided Sena in 2017 are now with the Sena (UBT). The consistency is remarkable.
Vote Share Increases in Key Wards
Here's an interesting development. In several of these wards, Sena (UBT) candidates actually polled higher votes than the united Sena did in 2017. This occurred despite the party split. Let's examine specific examples:
- In Mahim ward 182, the vote count rose from 6,899 in 2017 to 14,248 in 2026.
- In Worli ward 195, votes increased from 10,811 to 15,562.
- In Bandra East ward 87, the tally went up from 7,250 to 11,588.
Political observers link this rise to the understanding between the Sena (UBT) and the MNS. This cooperation appears particularly effective in Marathi-dominated neighborhoods where the MNS has traditionally polled strongly.
Suburban Trends Follow the Pattern
A similar trend is visible in parts of the eastern and western suburbs. The data shows consistent support for the Uddhav faction across different regions.
In Jogeshwari East, all four wards won by the undivided Sena in 2017 are now with the Sena (UBT). Vote shares rose in each of these wards. In Bhandup West, three of the four former Sena wards went to the Sena (UBT) and one to the MNS.
Ghatkopar West saw one ward go to the Sena (UBT) and one to the MNS. In Dindoshi, two wards shifted to the Sena (UBT) and one to the MNS. The pattern holds.
Shinde Faction's Limited Gains
The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 18 of the 84 wards previously held by the undivided party. Their victories appear scattered across various locations.
These include Magathane, Anushakti Nagar, Wadala, Kalina, and parts of the eastern suburbs. Notably, the Shinde faction failed to win a single ward in Worli, Mahim, Sewri, or Dharavi. These areas remain central to the Sena's political identity.
BJP Emerges as Single Largest Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party has emerged as the single largest party overall in the BMC elections. However, their gains show concentration in specific areas.
These include Dahisar, Magathane, Borivali, Charkop, Kandivali, and parts of Mulund and Ghatkopar. Several of these wards had been won narrowly by the undivided Sena in 2017. The BJP saw higher vote totals in these areas in 2026.
Despite this overall performance, the BJP did not win a single seat in central and inner Mumbai from the wards earlier held by the Shiv Sena. This geographical distinction is telling.
The BMC verdict provides a detailed map of Mumbai's political landscape after the Shiv Sena split. The numbers speak clearly about where traditional Sena support continues to reside.
