At a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has tightened its grip over most urban centres in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Vasai Virar has emerged as a rare exception, with the family of Hitrendra Thakur founded — Bahujan Vikas Aghadi — retaining control of the civic body.
The Bahujan Vikas Aghadi won 71 of the 115 seats in the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation(VVCMC), comfortably crossing the majority mark and keeping the BJP out of power. While the party’s seat share has dropped sharply from the 106 seats it had won in 2015, the Thakur family has managed to keep its hold on the city.
The BJP, however, has made significant gains. From winning just one seat in 2015, the party has expanded its presence to 44 seats this time, marking its strongest showing ever in Vasai Virar. Despite this surge, it fell short of dislodging the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi from power. The Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena managed to win one seat, while the Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena failed to open their accounts.
The verdict is politically significant beyond the numbers. As the BJP has steadily expanded across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Vasai Virar stands out as the only major municipal corporation where the party has been unable to wrest control, highlighting the resilience of Hitendra Thakur’s local organisation.
The election carried high stakes for the Thakur family. In the recent Assembly elections, both Hitendra and his son Kshitij Thakur had suffered defeats, raising questions about whether the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi’s influence in the region was finally waning. The civic polls, held after a gap of nearly a decade, were therefore widely seen as a test of Thakur’s political standing.
The BJP had done well in Assembly elections with victories in Vasai and Nalasopara and a series of defections from the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi. Several senior party leaders of the BVA crossed over to the BJP ahead of the Municipal Corporation polls.
Hitendra Thakur, a former six time MLA from Vasai, has long been a dominant figure in the semi urban belt of Vasai, Virar and Nalasopara in Palghar district. The Thakur family’s influence extends beyond politics, with deep roots in local businesses.
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In the run up to the 2024 Assembly elections, relations between the Thakurs and the BJP deteriorated sharply. A major controversy erupted when BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde was allegedly caught with cash at a hotel in Virar East more than 17 hours after the end of the Assembly campaign. The incident was reportedly exposed by supporters of the Thakur family and caused considerable embarrassment to the BJP.
However, the Thakurs themselves suffered a major setback soon after, failing to win a single Assembly seat. Over the past year, the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi also witnessed a wave of defections, alongside sustained efforts by the BJP to make inroads into the region.
While the BJP has succeeded in building a strong base of over 40 corporators in Vasai Virar, it has stopped short of ending the Thakur family’s long standing control over the municipal corporation.
Zeeshan Shaikh is the Associate Editor who heads The Indian Express' Mumbai reporting team. He is recognized for his highly specialized Expertise in analyzing the complex dynamics of Maharashtra politics and critical minority issues, providing in-depth, nuanced, and Trustworthy reports.
Expertise
Senior Editorial Role: As an Associate Editor leading the Mumbai reporting team, Zeeshan Shaikh holds a position of significant Authority and journalistic responsibility at a leading national newspaper.
Core Specialization: His reporting focuses intensely on two interconnected, high-impact areas:
Maharashtra Politics & Urban Power Structures: Provides deep-dive analyses into political strategies, municipal elections (e.g., BMC polls), the history of alliances (e.g., Shiv Sena's shifting partners), and the changing demographics that influence civic power in Mumbai.
Minority Issues and Socio-Political Trends: Excels in coverage of the Muslim community's representation in power, demographic shifts, socio-economic challenges, and the historical context of sensitive political and cultural issues (e.g., the 'Vande Mataram' debate's roots in the BMC).
Investigative Depth: His articles frequently delve into the historical roots and contemporary consequences of major events, ranging from the rise of extremist groups in specific villages (e.g., Borivali-Padgha) to the long-term collapse of established political parties (e.g., Congress in Mumbai).
Trustworthiness & Credibility
Data-Driven Analysis: Zeeshan's work often incorporates empirical data, such as National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics on arrests and convictions of minorities, or data on asset growth of politicians, grounding his reports in factual evidence.
Focus on Hinterland Issues: While based in Mumbai, he maintains a wide lens, covering issues affecting the state's hinterlands, including water crises, infrastructure delays, and the plight of marginalized communities (e.g., manual scavengers).
Institutional Affiliation: His senior position at The Indian Express—a publication known for its tradition of rigorous political and investigative journalism—underscores the high level of editorial vetting and Trustworthiness of his reports.
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