Mumbai BMC Ward Committee Election Delivers Unexpected Blow to UBT Shiv Sena
In a significant political development in Mumbai, the election for the chairperson of the F North and F South BMC ward committee has resulted in a notable setback for the UBT Shiv Sena. Despite the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition holding a numerical advantage with the combined strength of the Thackeray faction, Congress, and the MNS, its candidate and former Mumbai Mayor Shraddha Jadhav was defeated in the contest.
Political Strategy Alters Voting Dynamics
Sources indicate that the outcome was heavily influenced by a pre-vote political strategy orchestrated by the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). This faction is believed to have successfully ensured the absence of Congress corporator Ayesha Sofiyan Vanu and Samajwadi Party corporator Iram Siddiqui during the voting process, which critically altered the electoral equation.
The 17-member committee is composed of BJP (5 corporators), the Thackeray faction (6), Shinde faction (3), Congress (1), Samajwadi Party (1), and MNS (1). Initially, the BJP and Shinde faction together held 8 members, while the Thackeray faction, Congress, and MNS also collectively had 8. In this balanced scenario, the vote of the Samajwadi Party corporator was viewed as decisive. If this member remained neutral, the result would have been determined by drawing lots.
Vote Count Shifts Due to Absences
However, with both the Congress and Samajwadi Party corporators absent during the vote, the dynamics shifted dramatically. Shiv Sena's Mansi Satamkar secured 8 votes, while Shraddha Jadhav received only 7, resulting in a loss by a single vote. This election was part of a series of polls conducted for chairpersons of 6 out of the 17 ward committees of the BMC for the 2026–27 term.
Other Ward Committee Election Results
In other developments, BJP candidates were elected unopposed in three committees. Corporator Akash Raj Purohit was elected unopposed as chairperson of the C and D ward committee, while corporator Prakash Darekar secured the position for the R Central and R North ward committee without opposition. Similarly, corporator Leena Patel-Deherkar was elected unopposed for the R South ward committee.
In the A, B, and E ward committee, Congress corporator Dnyanraj Nikam emerged victorious over BJP's Rohidas Lokhande, securing 7 votes compared to Lokhande's 5. Meanwhile, in the P East and P West ward committee, Congress candidate Haider Ali Aslam Sheikh, who is the son of MLA Aslam Shaikh, won with 10 votes, defeating Ajit Raorane, who garnered 8 votes.
Election Proceedings Oversight
The proceedings for these ward committee elections were conducted under the supervision of Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, who presided over different committees to ensure a smooth and orderly process.
