BMC Election 2026: 'There Was No Hindu-Muslim or Marathi–Non-Marathi Divide in Mumbai When I Was CM,' Says Uddhav Thackeray

Currently, a significant Marathi language controversy is ongoing in Mumbai. Many people who are not from Maharashtra but stay in Mumbai were assaulted by political party workers for not knowing Marathi. Speaking about this issue, Shiv Sena UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray said that when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra, his government did not discriminate among people. He said that for 25 years, when he was running the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), they worked for everyone and did not discriminate based on Hindu-Muslim, Gujarati-Marathi, or North Indian identities. He made these remarks ahead of the upcoming BMC elections.

Addressing a public gathering in Mumbai, he said, “When I was the Chief Minister, there was never any discrimination in Mumbai based on Hindu-Muslim, Gujarati-Marathi, or North Indian identities. We had the municipal corporation for 25 years, and during that time, we worked to provide facilities to all citizens without any discrimination.”

Mumbai, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray says, "When I was the Chief Minister, there was never any discrimination in Mumbai based on Hindu-Muslim, Gujarati-Marathi, or North Indian identities. We had the municipal corporation for 25 years, and during that time,… pic.twitter.com/vF4F1TEhSg

— IANS (@ians_india) January 13, 2026

This year, Shiv Sena UBT and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are battling as one unit in the BMC elections. The Thackeray brothers have allied after 20 years. This alliance represents a significant reunion of the Thackeray brothers, who were bitter rivals for over a decade following the MNS's formation in 2006 as a breakaway from the undivided Shiv Sena.The partnership took shape in late 2025 following the collapse of the wider MVA coalition. Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) aimed to bring together forces opposed to the Mahayuti, while Raj Thackeray’s MNS, facing electoral setbacks in recent years, viewed the tie-up as a chance to restore its political standing. Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) later came on board, forming a three-party front. The realignment disturbed former MVA allies, including the Congress, which subsequently broke away.

BMC Elections:
The BMC election is scheduled for January 15, 2026. Voting will be taking place between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm. This marks the first BMC election since 2017, following the delays due to COVID-19. The results of this election will be announced on January 16. The polls will determine 227 corporator seats in India’s wealthiest civic body, which operates with a budget of over ₹74,000 crore and is responsible for key services such as water supply, road infrastructure, healthcare, and education for Mumbai’s population of more than 12 million. As many as 1,729 candidates are in the fray, making it among the largest municipal elections in the country.

To encourage higher voter participation, the Maharashtra State Election Commission has announced January 15 as a public holiday in polling areas, including Mumbai. The BMC has also completed the process of finalising revised boundaries for all 227 electoral wards to ensure equitable representation.

The contest is expected to be intense and multi-cornered, mirroring Maharashtra’s shifting political dynamics in the aftermath of the Shiv Sena and NCP splits, as well as the 2024 state assembly elections.