Ahead of the much-anticipated Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Uddhav Thackeray, chief of the Shiv Sena (UBT), held a strategic meeting with office bearers, including shakha pramukhs. Emphasizing the need to fortify the organization across Mumbai, Thackeray instructed his team to intensify groundwork in all 227 wards of the city’s 36 Assembly constituencies. According to a Indian Express report, during the meeting, Thackeray addressed concerns about the party’s commitment to Hindutva. Countering claims by BJP and the Mahayuti alliance that Sena UBT had abandoned the ideology, Thackeray reaffirmed that Hindutva remains a core principle of the party and urged his team to take this message directly to households.
Amid calls from some party leaders to sever ties with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance following the Assembly poll defeat, Thackeray advised his team to prioritize grassroots preparations over alliance decisions. Sources revealed that 18 observers have been appointed to oversee the civic poll preparations, while MLAs, leaders, secretaries, and coordinators have been tasked with election responsibilities. A detailed report on the city’s electoral landscape is expected within a week. Based on this, a classification of seats will be conducted to shape the party’s comprehensive election strategy. The BMC elections, delayed since 2017 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will see the contest unfold across 236 wards after the MVA government increased the ward count. This decision, currently under legal scrutiny following a challenge by the Mahayuti alliance, remains a critical point as alliance leaders push for municipal elections within six months to capitalize on their recent Assembly poll victory.