BMC election results 2026: Shinde Sena makes dent in UBT-MNS tally, but only just

MUMBAI: The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena dented the Sena (UBT)-MNS combine's tally but failed to beat the Thackerays in most Marathi-dominated areas across Mumbai. Contesting 90 seats, Shinde has won 29, so his strike rate turned out to be poorer than that of BJP.

However, his party's seats are crucial to the BJP-Sena combine crossing the majority mark, and BJP cannot anoint a mayor in BMC without Shinde's support.The Shinde-led Sena went into BMC polls with 54 former corporators, but the numbers suggest many of them and their relatives lost this time. In fact, the kin of many of Shinde Sena's former and sitting MLAs and MPs were defeated.

Despite fighting just 90 seats, Shinde's Sena was seeing 'family first' politics.

Eight sitting and former MLAs/MPs had bagged tickets for family members. Former MP Rahul Shewale's sister-in-law Vaishali Nayan Shewale was fielded from ward 183 (Chembur), former MLA Sada Sarvankar's son Samadhan and daughter Priya were fielded from 194 and 191 (Worli, Mahim) respectively, while Jai Kudalkar, son of Kurla MLA Mangesh Kudalkar, was fielded from ward 169 (Kurla).

Sena MP Ravindra Waikar's daughter Deepti Waikar-Potnis was given a nomination from ward 73 (Jogeshwari).

They all lost. Similarly, Bhandup MLA Ashok Patil's son Rupesh Patil was given ticket from ward 113 (Bhandup). Former corporator Deepak Hande's wife Ashwini Hande has been given a ticket from ward 128 (Ghatkopar). They also lost to the Sena (UBT)-MNS combine. However, former MLA Yamini Jadhav, who lost the 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly polls and was also fighting the BMC polls. won from Byculla. Similarly, former Sena corporator Sanjay Turde's wife Meenal Turde was candidate from ward 166 (Kurla) and won.

In Worli, wife of ex-Sena corporator Datta Narwankar, Vanita, won from ward 197 -- the only victorious Shinde Sena candidate from Worli. Sena Chandivli MLA Dilip Lande's wife Shaila Lande was a candidate from ward 163 (Chandivli) and got elected. Political observers said since the BMC polls this time were a multi-cornered contest, sitting MLAs and used their clout to 'accommodate' family members. As parties too could not find formidable candidates, netas extended their family quotas beyond the immediate family and even got tickets for in-laws and cousins. "Usually, family tickets are given to immediate family like spouses and siblings, but this time since NCP was not in Mahayuti and Congress was not in MVA, there was a scramble for seats.

Senior netas used this chance to flex muscle and get tickets for their kin. They managed to convince the party that there was no alternative. Parties too conceded as they didn't want to take any risk," a political observer said.