The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have successfully crossed the majority mark of 114 in the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections 2026. While the alliance has secured enough seats to claim power, the political atmosphere remains tense in Maharashtra as the Shinde faction reportedly moves its newly elected Shiv Sena corporators to a luxury hotel Mumbai's Bandrato prevent potential poaching by the opposition.
In the 227-member house, the majority mark is set at 114 seats. The Mahayuti alliance has managed to secure a total of 118 seats, just four more than the required number. The BJP emerged as the largest single party with 89 seats, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 29 seats.
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While the victory marks a significant shift in Mumbai's civic governance, the BJP remains dependent on Shinde’s corporators to form the government. This reliance has created a fragile equilibrium within the ruling alliance.
Despite the win, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has reportedly directed his 29 corporators to stay at a five-star hotel. Sources suggest this move is a precautionary measure against "cheating" or "poaching."
The concern stems from the fact that many of Shinde's winning candidates are former office-bearers of the Uddhav Thackeray faction. There are fears within the Mahayuti camp that the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena UBT might attempt to win back their former colleagues to tilt the scales.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and allied parties have put up a strong showing, totalling approximately 96 seats.
The breakdown is as follows:
Shiv Sena (UBT): 65 seats
Congress: 24 seats
MNS: 6 seats
NCP-SP (Sharad Pawar): 1 seat
While they are currently 18 seats short of a majority, the opposition could pose a threat if they manage to consolidate smaller independent groups or successfully court disgruntled members from the Shinde camp. If the Thackeray brothers (Uddhav and Raj) and Congress maintain a unified front, they could potentially challenge the Mahayuti’s claim if the internal rift widens.