Mumbai, Jan 19 (PTI) Despite their depleted strength in the new general body of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the just-elected Congress corporators would strongly raise issues concerning
local residents and work to resolve their problems, the party's city chief said on Monday.
Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) president Varsha Gaikwad also alleged that the January 15 BMC elections witnessed serious attacks on democratic process, including pressure on candidates to withdraw from the fray, distribution of money, and irregularities during vote count.
Speaking to the media after felicitating the 24 newly-elected Congress corporators, Gaikwad maintained the municipal polls were fought under extremely adverse conditions.
"On one side, there was money power, distribution of cash and threats to Opposition candidates, with the entire machinery working for the ruling party. On the other side was people's power. The people trusted the Congress and elected 24 corporators of the party," she stated.
The Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai North Central emphasised that Congress workers fought the elections with determination despite unfavourable circumstances.
"Though our strength is limited, our corporators will raise the voice of Mumbaikars in the corporation and try to solve civic issues," she said.
In the 2017 polls, 31 Congress candidates were elected to India's richest civic body, which has 227 seats. In 2026, the party logged its lowest-ever tally of 24 seats.
The Congress is a constituent of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), but it did not ally with any of its state-level partners in the Mumbai civic polls. Instead, the Congress forged a pre-poll pact with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha and Republican Party of India (Gavai).
Listing priorities for the new Congress corporators, she noted the party would focus on better roads, clean drinking water, relief from traffic congestion, improved bus services of civic transport undertaking BEST and making Mumbai pollution-free.
Gaikwad said the Congress would work to curb corruption in the BMC, whose budget for the ongoing fiscal stood at more than Rs 74,000 crore.
Responding to a question on demand for her resignation as the MRCC chief following the party's underwhelming performance in the Mumbai civic body polls, Gaikwad avoided a direct reply and stressed the Congress follows democratic values unlike the BJP.
"In the Congress, everyone has the right to express their opinion. If anyone has criticised the leadership, the party will take a decision on it," she asserted.
The MRCC president insisted party workers had faith in her leadership.
"In the coming days, we will work to further strengthen the Congress organisation in Mumbai," she said.
Taking a swipe at the ruling Mahayuti constituent Shiv Sena, Gaikwad said, "We have full confidence in our corporators, so there is no need to keep them in hotels."
The Shiv Sena has corralled all its 29-newly elected corporators into a hotel in Mumbai after the BJP-led Mahayuti secured a narrow majority in the 227-member civic body. PTI MR ARU RSY
