In a major disciplinary action, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Mumbai unit on Thursday suspended 26 of its office bearers for a period of six years. The suspension targets individuals, including former corporators, who contested as rebel candidates or worked against the party's official nominees in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
Rebellion Leads to Severe Action
Mumbai BJP chief and MLA Ameet Satam issued the suspension order, stating that the members were punished for not cooperating with Mahayuti candidates in the BMC elections 2026 despite repeated requests from the party leadership. The action underscores the party's crackdown on internal dissent ahead of the crucial civic polls.
Among the prominent names suspended are Divya Dhole from Ward 60 (Versova), Nehal Amar Shah from Ward 177 (Matunga), Janhvi Rane from Ward 205 (Abhyudaya Nagar), and Asawari Patil from Ward 2 (Borivli). The list includes several others accused of working against the party's interests.
Winnability Was Key Criteria for Ticket Distribution
A senior BJP functionary explained the rationale behind dropping some sitting office bearers. The party allocated tickets based on surveys and internal assessments, with winnability being the main criteria. High anti-incumbency and complaints about a lack of citizen connect were significant factors.
The functionary cited the example of Nehal Shah, who was dropped from Ward 177. "Local office bearers had also complained. So, the party made a decision to drop her and give the ticket to Kalpesha Jesal Kothari, who is a good local face," the functionary said. "This was the case with many of the candidates who were dropped. Many of them did not rebel or withdrew their nomination, but some went ahead despite the party's request." Shah not only filed her nomination against the official BJP candidate but also allegedly tried to defame the candidate, damaging the party's prospects.
Disciplinary Action After Repeated Warnings
MLA Ameet Satam clarified that the suspensions were a result of prolonged indiscipline. "Some of those suspended are rebel candidates in the BMC polls. Most others are working against the party ideology and party line. Despite several requests and instructions, they continued anti-Mahayuti activities. So they have been suspended as part of disciplinary action," Satam stated. Some party insiders, however, felt the action was delayed, saying the party took too much time to suspend the rebels.
The BJP had managed to persuade some rebels to withdraw their nominations last week. This included party worker Sunita Yadav from Ward 1, who was contesting against official candidate Rekha Yadav, and former corporator Janak Sanghavi from Ward 221, whose withdrawal left Aakash Purohit as the BJP's official candidate. Those who refused to fall in line have now faced the party's strictest penalty.
This mass suspension highlights the intense internal challenges and the high stakes for the BJP as it prepares for the 2026 BMC elections, aiming to present a united front under the Mahayuti alliance.
