BJP, Shinde Sena To Register As Joint Group In BMC To Get Control Of Improvements Committee: Sources

Last Updated:January 28, 2026, 12:30 IST

The committee, considered second only to the Standing Committee in terms of authority, has 26 members and plays a key role in clearing major civic works & infrastructure proposals

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis (right) with deputy CM Eknath Shinde. (File)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are likely to register as a single group in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to secure control over the influential Improvements Committee, sources have told CNN-News18.

The committee, considered second only to the Standing Committee in terms of authority, has 26 members and plays a key role in clearing major civic works and infrastructure proposals. According to sources, the move is aimed at avoiding a deadlock that could leave the chairperson’s post to be decided by draw of lots.

At present, the numbers are evenly split. The BJP-Shinde Sena alliance commands 13 members, while the opposition bloc comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and AIMIM also totals 13. “If the chairperson is decided by lottery and the ruling alliance loses, it would be a major setback. That risk is being eliminated through joint registration," a senior functionary said.

Sources said once registered as a combined group, the BJP-Shinde Sena strength in the Improvements Committee will rise to 14, compared to Shiv Sena (UBT)’s seven, Congress’s three, AIMIM’s one and MNS’s one, giving the ruling alliance a clear majority.

Had the two allies remained separate, the committee would have comprised BJP with 10 members and Shinde Sena with three, against Shiv Sena (UBT)’s eight, Congress’s three, AIMIM’s one and MNS’s one—a configuration that left the outcome vulnerable to chance.

The joint registration will also result in the BJP-Shinde Sena being allotted a single common office within the BMC, sources added, signalling tighter coordination between the two parties in civic functioning.

The realignment is expected to have a direct impact on smaller parties, particularly the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which is likely to lose its representation on the Improvements Committee due to the revised arithmetic.

Sources also indicated that the ruling alliance is poised to gain an advantage in the distribution of nominated corporators. As per the emerging arrangement, BJP–Shinde Sena is expected to secure five nominated seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) three, Congress one and AIMIM one.

With control over key committees seen as critical ahead of larger political battles in Mumbai, sources said the move reflects the ruling alliance’s intent to consolidate its grip over the civic body. In a tightly contested BMC, every number matters and the BJP–Shinde Sena appears determined not to leave outcomes to chance.

News politics BJP, Shinde Sena To Register As Joint Group In BMC To Get Control Of Improvements Committee: Sources

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