BMC Elections 2026: BJP Unveils First List of 66 Candidates, Eyeing Key Wards Across Mumbai
For the BMC Elections 2026, the BJP has released its first list of 66 candidates, targeting key wards across Mumbai
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its first list of 66 candidates for elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), scheduled to be held in January next year. The saffron party, which leads the Mahayuti, is buoyed by its success in the recent municipal council and nagar panchayat elections in the state and is looking to repeat its performance in the municipal corporation polls.
The BJP is contesting the BMC elections in alliance with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. Although the two parties are yet to announce the seat-sharing pact, sources had earlier told India TV that the BJP will contest on 140 seats of the 227 seats in the BMC. On the other hand, the Shinde Sena will contest on 87 seats.
Here’s BJP’s first list of 66 candidates:
- Ward No. 2 – Tejasvi Ghosalkar
- Ward No. 7 – Ganesh Khankar
- Ward No. 10 – Jitendra Patel
- Ward No. 13 – Rani Trivedi
- Ward No. 14 – Seema Shinde
- Ward No. 15 – Jigna Shah
- Ward No. 16 – Shweta Korgaonkar
- Ward No. 17 – Shilpa Sangore
- Ward No. 19 – Dakshata Kavathankar
- Ward No. 20 – Bala Tawde
- Ward No. 23 – Shivkumar Jha
- Ward No. 24 – Swati Jaiswal
- Ward No. 31 – Manisha Yadav
- Ward No. 36 – Siddharth Sharma
- Ward No. 37 – Pratibha Shinde
- Ward No. 43 – Vinod Mishra
- Ward No. 46 – Yogita Koli
- Ward No. 47 – Tejinder Singh Tiwana
- Ward No. 52 – Preeti Satam
- Ward No. 57 – Shrikala Pille
- Ward No. 58 – Sandeep Patel
- Ward No. 59 – Yogita Dabhadkar
- Ward No. 60 – Sayali Kulkarni
- Ward No. 63 – Rupesh Savarkar
- Ward No. 68 – Rohan Rathod
- Ward No. 69 – Sudha Singh
- Ward No. 70 – Anish Makwani
- Ward No. 72 – Mamta Yadav
- Ward No. 74 – Ujjwala Modak
- Ward No. 76 – Prakash Musale
- Ward No. 84 – Anjali Samant
- Ward No. 85 – Milind Shinde
- Ward No. 87 – Mahesh Parkar
- Ward No. 97 – Hetal Gala
- Ward No. 99 – Jitendra Raut
- Ward No. 100 – Swapna Mhatre
- Ward No. 103 – Hetal Gala Marvekar
- Ward No. 104 – Prakash Gangadhare
- Ward No. 105 – Anita Vaity
- Ward No. 106 – Prabhakar Shinde
- Ward No. 107 – Neel Somaiya
- Ward No. 108 – Deepika Ghag
- Ward No. 111 – Sarika Pawar
- Ward No. 116 – Jagruti Patil
- Ward No. 122 – Chandan Sharma
- Ward No. 126 – Archana Bhalerao
- Ward No. 127 – Alka Bhagat
- Ward No. 129 – Ashwini Mate
- Ward No. 135 – Navnath Ban
- Ward No. 144 – Bablu Panchal
- Ward No. 152 – Asha Marathe
- Ward No. 154 – Mahadev Shigvan
- Ward No. 172 – Rajshri Shirodkar
- Ward No. 174 – Sakshi Kanojia
- Ward No. 185 – Ravi Raja
- Ward No. 190 – Sheetal Gambhir Desai
- Ward No. 195 – Rajesh Kangane (Worli constituency)
- Ward No. 196 – Sonali Sawant
- Ward No. 207 – Rohidas Lokhande
- Ward No. 214 – Ajay Patil
- Ward No. 215 – Santosh Dhole
- Ward No. 218 – Snehal Tendulkar
- Ward No. 219 – Sunny Sanap
- Ward No. 221 – Akash Purohit
- Ward No. 226 – Makarand Narvekar
- Ward No. 227 – Harshita Narvekar
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has constantly backed the Shiv Sena and had even directed BJP leaders not to attack Shinde’s party. “The BJP and Shiv Sena are united. Everything is going on smoothly. We do not need to formally announce an alliance,” he said last week.
He also said that the Mahayuti will win the upcoming BMC elections, paying tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “There is a resolve to form a Mahayuti government in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and make the slogan ‘Darkness will fade, the sun will rise, and the lotus will bloom’ a reality. This election is being fought with the aim of establishing transparent and honest governance in the civic body,” he had said.
Polls to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Mumbai, will take place on January 15, while results will be declared the next day.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections 2026 are quickly gaining momentum as political parties gear up to secure control of India’s richest municipal body. In a major development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its first list of 66 candidates, signaling a strategic push to capture key wards across Mumbai. This move has set the stage for a high-stakes contest involving the BJP, Shiv Sena, Congress, NCP, and other regional players.
The BJP’s announcement of 66 candidates is the first batch of selections for the upcoming BMC 2026 elections, which are widely considered a litmus test for the party’s urban stronghold. Party leaders have reportedly focused on winnable wards and candidates with strong grassroots connections, aiming to challenge traditional dominance in certain areas.
According to political analysts, the BJP has carefully balanced experienced politicians with new faces, signaling both continuity and renewal. The list reportedly includes candidates from different communities, reflecting the party’s attempt to appeal to a broad voter base.
Mumbai, divided into 227 wards, presents a complex electoral landscape. The BJP’s selection of 66 candidates in the first list suggests a focus on strategically important areas that can influence the overall outcome of the corporation elections.
- North Mumbai Wards: The party appears to be targeting affluent and middle-class neighborhoods, leveraging its strong urban appeal.
- Central Mumbai Wards: Focus is on industrial and commercial areas where local governance and civic issues play a key role.
- South Mumbai Wards: Although traditionally challenging, BJP seems to have fielded strong candidates capable of penetrating areas dominated by other parties.
Political observers note that this selective announcement helps the BJP gauge reactions from other parties and voters, allowing flexibility for the release of additional candidates in subsequent batches.
The release of the first 66 candidates is more than just a list; it is part of a broader strategy to assert dominance in Mumbai’s civic politics. The BJP aims to:
- Strengthen its urban footprint: By focusing on wards with a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial areas, the party hopes to consolidate urban votes.
- Showcase leadership continuity: Several sitting corporators from the BJP have been retained, signaling stability and experience.
- Appeal to diverse communities: The candidate selection reflects efforts to balance regional, linguistic, and religious representation.
- Counter rivals early: By announcing candidates ahead of time, the BJP is attempting to set the electoral narrative and put pressure on other parties to respond.
Experts suggest that such early announcements are critical in Mumbai’s highly competitive civic elections, where alliances, local issues, and candidate popularity significantly influence results.
The release of the candidate list has already triggered reactions from rival parties. The Shiv Sena, traditionally dominant in the BMC, is reportedly revising its campaign strategy to counter BJP’s aggressive push. Congress and NCP leaders have also started mobilizing local units in wards where the BJP has fielded strong candidates.
Analysts say that the BMC elections are not just about municipal governance; they are also seen as a precursor to state-level and national-level electoral strategies. Success in Mumbai’s civic polls can boost morale, strengthen grassroots networks, and impact broader political calculations.
The BJP is expected to release additional lists of candidates in the coming weeks to cover all 227 wards. Each announcement will be closely scrutinized by political analysts, media, and voters, as it will offer insights into the party’s priorities, alliances, and chances in the upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, campaign preparations, rallies, and public engagements are likely to intensify across Mumbai. Voters are expected to focus on local issues such as civic infrastructure, sanitation, water supply, traffic management, and public safety, alongside broader political considerations.
