The Times of India

Decoding Mumbai BMC election 2026: MNS helped consolidate Marathi votes but also proved polarising; what worked against the Thackerays

Mumbai's 2026 civic elections saw a significant shift, with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) weakened by the 2022 party split. The BJP-Shinde Sena alliance leveraged infrastructure development and a 'triple engine sarkar' narrative to gain ground, while the Sena (UBT) struggled with resources and a narrower voter appeal.