Mumbai: With the State Election Commission announcing the dates, preparations for the long-delayed BMC elections after nearly four years are finally underway.

During this period, the split in the Shiv Sena, shifting alliances among the BJP, Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and repeated delays in holding polls led to the BMC being run by appointed administrators rather than elected representatives.

Reshaped by recent political upheavals in Maharashtra, the upcoming BMC election has transformed from a once-predictable contest into a high-stakes, multi-party battle.

As Mumbai moves back to elected governance, the results will reflect public opinion, political strength, and the future course of urban politics in India’s financial hub.

In the years after Independence, the Indian National Congress held a strong grip on the BMC, reflecting its dominance in Maharashtra politics. This began to change in the late 20th century, as the Shiv Sena, built on Marathi pride and regional identity, steadily gained influence in Mumbai.

The party first came to power in the BMC in 1985, and by 1997, it had established firm control, beginning nearly two decades of largely uninterrupted rule. For years, the Shiv Sena governed the BMC either alone or in alliance with the BJP.

However, the long-standing alliance was disrupted in 2017, a turning point when the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party while the BJP made significant gains, finishing a close second. Despite being allies at the state and national levels, the two parties clashed fiercely, exposing cracks in their partnership.

In 2019, Maharashtra politics saw major shifts with the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, an alliance of the Shiv Sena, Congress, and NCP led by Uddhav Thackeray.

The political landscape changed further when the Shiv Sena split into Uddhav-led and Eknath Shinde-led factions, and the NCP divided into Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar groups in 2023.

In 2022, Shinde led a rebellion, with most Shiv Sena legislators joining him and the BJP to form the state government. This weakened the original Shiv Sena faction and removed a strong regional rival to the BJP in state politics.

With the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), the BJP is poised to fulfil its long-standing goal of electing a mayor from its alliance. On the other hand, there is strong speculation that the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena may join forces in an attempt to challenge the ruling alliance and regain power.

The upcoming BMC election is more than just about roads, flooding, or waste management—it marks the return of elected leadership after nearly four years under state-appointed administrators Iqbal Singh Chahal from March 2022, followed by Bhushan Gagrani in March 2024.

Voters will compare the performance of administrators with what elected leaders could deliver. For the rival Shiv Sena factions, the polls are a fight for legacy and legitimacy, the BJP aims to strengthen its hold in urban Maharashtra, and Congress and other regional parties hope to regain a foothold in Mumbai.

Major political parties
1992 | 2002 | 2012 | 2017

Shiv Sena — 69 | 98 | 75 | 84
BJP — 14 | 35 | 31 | 82
Congress — 112 | 60 | 52 | 31
NCP — 0 | 13 | 13 | 09
Samajwadi Party — 0 | 10 | 09 | 06

(In 1992, Mumbai had 220 wards, which have now been increased to 227.)

Mumbai, Dec 15: In a major step towards strengthening digital public healthcare, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday launched a health chatbot aimed at improving accessibility, transparency, and efficiency of healthcare services for citizens.

The digital service was inaugurated by State Minister for Information Technology and Cultural Affairs and Mumbai Suburban District Guardian Minister Ashish Shelar. The initiative marks another milestone in BMC’s ongoing efforts to integrate technology with civic health services.

As part of its digital transformation drive, the health chatbot will provide citizens with easy access to verified health-related information, including disease awareness, preventive care, public health campaigns, and details of nearby healthcare facilities. The chatbot is available on the mobile number 9892993368.

BMC Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani said the initiative aligns with the civic body’s vision of making public health information easily accessible through digital platforms. Technology-driven services, he noted, will save citizens’ time and play a crucial role during healthcare emergencies.

Through the chatbot, citizens can access information on online OPD appointment registration, health certificates, licensing procedures, birth and death certificates, marriage registration, disability certificates, and maternity home licences. An online registration facility for health centres is expected to significantly reduce waiting times and improve convenience.

In the coming months, the chatbot will also provide details of state and central government health schemes. The BMC further plans to launch a dedicated healthcare website, along with OPD and bed-availability dashboards, to simplify access to health services and real-time information for Mumbai’s residents.

Mumbai: The police have claimed to have arrested five people for attacking the police in the Kandivali area, while two are still absconding. According to details, some people attacked the police in Ekta Nagar, Kandivali, and after this attack, the video went viral on social media, after which the police immediately registered a case and arrested five accused. According to details, at 8:45 pm last night, violence was going on between two groups in Laljipara Ekta Nagar. Bhim Kanojia, a member of one of the groups, complained to the bat marshal and the bat marshal here instructed Pappu Jha to go to the police station and asked him to sit in the van. During this, he started arguing and arguing with the complainant, in addition to abusing him. When police officer Kanbhare and police havaldar Khot reached to help the complainant, he also beat them up and interfered in official work, after which the police arrested Vicky Singh, Pappu Jha from the spot in this case, while Chandrakant Jha, Suman Jha and Guddu Jha were arrested later. So far, 5 people have been arrested in this case. The police have registered a case against the accused on the complaint of the complainant Sagar Saddam Babar, a 32-year-old policeman. The police have booked them under sections of BNS. A case has been registered under sections 121(1), 221, 189(3), 191(2), 190, 324, 352 of the IPC and the search for the absconding accused is underway, confirmed DCP Sandeep Jadhav. He said that CCTV footage is also being taken for further action in this matter and a police team has been mobilized to identify the accused. The incidents of attacks on the police have increased to an alarming extent, after which the issue of police safety has now arisen. While the police provide protection to the public, now the attack on the police by miscreants is alarming. Earlier, an attack was also carried out on the police in Malad, after which a case was registered and the accused were paraded.