Mumbai: The 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections were touted as the ultimate litmus test for the 'Thackeray Brand.' After years of estrangement, the reunion of cousins Uddhav and Raj
Thackeray was expected to create a unified Maratha front.
However, the results told a different story. The BJP-led Mahayuti surged past the majority mark with 118 wins combined, ending the Thackerays' three-decade-old grip on India’s richest civic body.
Here are five reasons why the much-hyped Thackeray reunion failed to make its mark:
1. Fragmentation Of The 'Marathi Manoos' Vote
While the cousins united under the banner of Marathi pride, the ground reality had shifted. The split in the original Shiv Sena meant that Eknath Shinde’s faction successfully carved out a major portion of the traditional Marathi vote bank. By framing themselves as the 'true' executors of Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy through development and Hindutva, the Shinde Sena diluted the emotional monopoly the cousins hoped to wield.
2. The 'Development vs Emotion' Gap
The Mahayuti campaign, led by Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde, focused heavily on 'Double Engine' growth, infrastructure and the transformation of Mumbai’s skyline. In contrast, the Thackeray combine leaned heavily on emotional appeals and the 'Save Marathi identity' narrative. For the modern Mumbai voter, concerned with crumbling infrastructure, the metro expansion and ease of living, the Mahayuti’s promise of convenience over sentiment proved more persuasive.
3. Lack Of Coherent Policy Synergy
Beyond the optics of a family reunion, the alliance between Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS lacked a shared, actionable manifesto. Raj Thackeray’s past aggressive anti-outsider stance often clashed with Uddhav’s more inclusive, 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' style of politics. This ideological inconsistency created confusion among voters, particularly the cosmopolitan and non-Marathi communities, who view Raj’s brand of politics with skepticism.
4. The 'Solo' Congress Factor
The Thackeray reunion inadvertently alienated the Congress, which decided to go solo in the 2026 civic polls. In previous elections, the MVA coalition (UBT, NCP-SP and Congress) had shown that a consolidated anti-BJP vote could be formidable. By pivoting toward the MNS, Uddhav lost the crucial support of Muslim and Dalit areas that the Congress traditionally commands, leading to a split in the opposition vote that directly benefited the BJP.
5. Organisational Decay & Resource Crunch
The BJP’s Booth-level management and vast resources majorly outmatched the Sena UBT-MNS combine. Years of legal battles over party symbols and properties had drained the Sena UBT’s organisational strength. Meanwhile, the MNS, which has struggled for electoral relevance for over a decade, failed to provide the muscle required to counter the BJP’s high-octane, tech-driven campaign.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the single largest party in the 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, securing 89 of the 227 wards, according to the State Election Commission. Shiv Sena (UBT) came in second with 65 seats, followed by the Eknath Shinde–led Shiv Sena with 29 seats, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) won six.
The 2026 BMC election marks a historic shift in Mumbai’s power dynamics, suggesting that while the Thackeray name still carries weight, it is no longer a guaranteed ticket to the Mayor’s bungalow.
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