Shinde Sena's Family-First Strategy Stumbles in Mumbai Civic Polls
The Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde suffered significant setbacks in Mumbai's Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections. While the party managed to secure twenty-nine seats out of the ninety it contested, its performance fell short of expectations. Political analysts note the strike rate proved poorer than that of its alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Marathi Heartlands Remain with Thackeray Camp
In a notable development, the Shinde-led Sena failed to overcome the combined strength of the Uddhav Thackeray faction and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena across most Marathi-dominated areas of Mumbai. Despite this electoral dent, the twenty-nine seats won by Shinde's party hold immense importance. These seats become absolutely crucial for the BJP-Shinde Sena alliance to cross the majority mark in the powerful civic body.
Without Shinde's support, the BJP cannot anoint its candidate for the mayor's position in the BMC. This reality underscores the continuing relevance of the Shinde faction within Mumbai's political landscape, despite its mixed performance.
Family Tickets Yield Mostly Disappointing Results
The election revealed a clear pattern of family-centric politics within the Shinde Sena. The party fielded numerous relatives of sitting and former legislators, but this strategy largely backfired. Out of fifty-four former corporators who contested under the Shinde banner, many faced defeat. Even more strikingly, family members of several prominent leaders lost their electoral battles.
Former MP Rahul Shewale's sister-in-law, Vaishali Nayan Shewale, contested from Chembur's ward 183 and lost. Similarly, former MLA Sada Sarvankar's children, Samadhan and Priya, faced defeat in Worli and Mahim respectively. The trend continued with Jai Kudalkar, son of Kurla MLA Mangesh Kudalkar, losing from Kurla's ward 169.
Sena MP Ravindra Waikar's daughter, Deepti Waikar-Potnis, could not secure victory from Jogeshwari's ward 73. Bhandup MLA Ashok Patil's son, Rupesh Patil, lost from Bhandup's ward 113. Former corporator Deepak Hande's wife, Ashwini Hande, also faced defeat in Ghatkopar's ward 128. All these candidates lost to the combined opposition of the Sena (UBT) and MNS.
Isolated Victories Amid Widespread Defeats
Despite the overwhelming trend of losses, a few family candidates managed to secure victories. Former MLA Yamini Jadhav, who faced defeats in both the 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly elections, won from Byculla in the BMC polls. Similarly, Meenal Turde, wife of former Sena corporator Sanjay Turde, emerged victorious from Kurla's ward 166.
In Worli, Vanita Narwankar, wife of ex-Sena corporator Datta Narwankar, won from ward 197. She represents the only victorious Shinde Sena candidate from the Worli area. Shaila Lande, wife of Sena Chandivli MLA Dilip Lande, got elected from Chandivli's ward 163. These isolated successes provided some relief to the otherwise disappointing performance of family nominees.
Political Observers Analyze the Trend
Seasoned political observers attribute this widespread fielding of family members to the unique multi-cornered contest in this BMC election. With the Nationalist Congress Party not part of the Mahayuti alliance and the Congress not in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, a significant scramble for seats occurred. Senior leaders utilized this opportunity to flex their political muscle and secure nominations for their kin.
"Usually, family tickets are reserved for immediate family like spouses and siblings," explained one political analyst. "This time, however, the absence of traditional allies created a vacuum. Netas extended their family quotas beyond the immediate circle, even getting tickets for in-laws and cousins."
These leaders successfully convinced their party that no viable alternatives existed. Parties, in turn, conceded to these demands, preferring not to take unnecessary risks in a highly competitive electoral environment. The outcome suggests that while family connections can secure nominations, they do not guarantee electoral success in Mumbai's complex political arena.
