Congress Leaders Oppose Thackeray Alliance Ahead of BMC Elections

Mumbai, Oct 2025 :Internal opposition within the Congress party against forming an alliance with the Thackeray family for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections is gaining momentum. Former Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap a senior leader to openly advocate that the party contest the elections independently, not only in Mumbai but across other municipal bodies in Maharashtra.

According to party insiders, this sentiment was echoed by several senior Congress leaders during the Political Affairs Committee meeting held on October 13. The argument presented was that local body elections are primarily for grassroots workers, who should have the opportunity to contest without being constrained by alliances with regional parties.

Several prominent city leaders, including Arif Naseem Khan, Amin Patel, Aslam Shaikh, Chandrakant Handore, Jyoti Gaikwad, and Sachin Sawant, reportedly expressed opposition to the idea of aligning with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) or the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Their objections stemmed from concerns over ideological incompatibility, past seat-sharing disputes, and the potential erosion of the Congress’s core voter base.

A senior party functionary noted that while the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership has been in discussions with the MNS to consolidate the Marathi vote, it has not formally consulted the Congress. Leaders fear that inclusion of the MNS in any alliance could alienate minority and secular voters who form a significant part of the Congress’s urban base. Moreover, resentment lingers from the last BMC elections, when the Shiv Sena (UBT) was accused of dominating seat-sharing negotiations and marginalising Congress candidates.

Current Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad adopted a cautious approach to the growing discontent, acknowledging that many party workers believe Congress should chart an independent path in the local polls. She said that while these views were shared in both the Political Affairs Committee and the Executive Committee meetings, the final decision would rest with the central leadership. The state unit plans to convey these concerns formally to the high command before any decision is taken on alliances.

The discomfort within Congress has deepened after Uddhav Thackeray signalled his willingness to collaborate with the MNS for the BMC elections, aiming to consolidate Marathi votes in Mumbai. This move has been viewed within Congress as politically risky and ideologically inconsistent.

If Congress ultimately decides to contest the BMC elections alone, it will not be unprecedented. In 2017, the party opted to go solo, choosing not to ally with the then-undivided NCP, but managed to win only 31 out of 227 seats, a significant decline from the 52 seats it secured in 2012.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has sought to minimise the controversy, maintaining that discussions over alliances remain premature. Party leaders have indicated that all allies within the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will be consulted before a final decision, even as internal differences within Congress suggest that a united opposition front for Mumbai’s civic polls remains uncertain.