Overview
- BJP’s Mumbai unit says consensus covers 207 of 227 BMC wards, allotting 128 seats to the BJP and 79 to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, with 20 seats still under negotiation.
- Congress and Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi announce a Mumbai-only alliance, granting the VBA 62 wards while Congress fields the bulk of the remaining seats.
- The State Election Commission has fixed polling for January 15 and counting for January 16; nominations close December 30, withdrawals end January 2, and the final list is due January 3.
- BMC has completed master training for poll officers and begun phased instruction for about 64,000 staff on EVM handling, mock polls and polling procedures across multiple city centres.
- Other formations are moving in parallel, with the Samajwadi Party releasing a second slate and planning to contest all 227 wards and Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena aligning with the MNS for the city contest.