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As Mumbai gears up for the 2026 BMC elections, Congress and Prakash Ambedkar’s VBA form a strategic alliance and finalise seat-sharing, aiming to challenge established alliances, while Maharashtra’s political landscape faces another high-stakes test.
Congress and VBA finalise alliance for BMC 2026 elections.
Mumbai: Just days before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, the Congress and Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi have officially announced an alliance. The parties confirmed a seat-sharing arrangement after multiple rounds of discussions and meetings between their top leaders. This coalition aims to strengthen their position in one of the country’s most significant civic elections.
Under the agreement, Congress will field candidates on 165 out of 227 BMC seats, while VBA will contest the remaining 62 seats. This collaboration is expected to consolidate their voter base and present a united front against rival alliances in Mumbai, particularly in areas where the opposition has a stronghold.
The Congress, a key member of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition along with Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena-UBT and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction, has repeatedly criticised the Sena-UBT’s alliance with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. The party has called such alliances ‘divisive’ and ‘communal,’ emphasising its intent to counter forces that threaten social harmony. Earlier reports suggested that Congress might contest alone, but the final decision to ally with VBA marks a strategic shift ahead of the elections.
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The elections for all municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the BMC, are scheduled for January 15, with results to be declared on January 16. This high-stakes contest comes as political parties gear up to assert dominance in civic governance, which plays a crucial role in urban development and public services across the state.
In the last municipal council and nagar panchayat elections in Maharashtra, the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, and NCP, secured a decisive victory. The results were seen as a litmus test following their success in the 2024 state assembly elections. The BJP won 117 municipal president posts, Shiv Sena 53, and NCP 37, highlighting the alliance’s continued influence across local bodies.
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During the same elections, the Congress managed to secure 28 municipal president posts, while the NCP (SP) won seven and Shiv Sena (UBT) nine. Additionally, four seats went to registered parties, 28 to unrecognised parties, and five to independent candidates. These results underscore the fragmented nature of local politics and the potential impact of new alliances ahead of the BMC polls.
The Congress-VBA alliance signals a potential realignment in Mumbai’s political landscape. By combining forces, both parties aim to challenge established coalitions and appeal to voters seeking alternatives to divisive politics. Observers believe that this partnership could play a decisive role in shaping the outcome of the 2026 BMC elections, making every vote crucial in India’s financial capital.
