Friends, foes, frenemies: Why political alliances for BMC polls in Mumbai change so frequently

Here is how alliances between Mumbai’s political parties have changed over the years.

Shiv Sena’s shifting alliances

For more than six decades, the Shiv Sena’s political journey has been marked by its commitment to Hindutva and its willingness to forge alliances with ideologically distant partners when required.

The Shiv Sena has repeatedly changed allies in Mumbai’s civic politics, often tying up with parties far removed from its own ideology.

Soon after entering electoral politics, the Bal Thackeray-led Sena formed its first major alliance with the socialist Praja Socialist Party (PSP) in the 1968 BMC elections. The tie-up, stitched together by socialist leader Madhu Dandavate, made Sena the senior partner. The Sena won 42 seats and the PSP 11, but the alliance still fell short of the Congress tally and collapsed soon after, following clashes between the two cadres, including an alleged attack on the PSP office after the mayoral vote.

In 1973, the Sena again surprised observers by allying with factions of the Republican Party of India (RPI), despite years of confrontation with Ambedkarite groups and a perception of hostility among Dalit voters.

Another unexpected turn came in 1984, when the Sena and BJP fought the Lok Sabha polls together for the first time. But the understanding broke down before the 1985 BMC elections, where both parties contested separately. The move benefited the Sena, which won a then-record 74 seats.

The Sena–BJP alliance returned in 1992 and lasted until the 2012 BMC polls. Before the 2017 elections, however, the BJP withdrew, leading both parties to fight independently, though the BJP later supported the Sena in the mayoral election.

After the 2022 split, the Shiv Sena (UBT) is now exploring a possible tie-up with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) ahead of the next civic polls.

Congress: From dominance to fractured alliances

The Congress once dominated Mumbai’s political landscape, and for decades after Independence, it was the main force every party sought to challenge. Through the 1960s and 1970s, the party controlled the city’s politics so completely that civic elections were shaped more by its internal factions than by any external competition.

As new players, socialists, communists, the Shiv Sena, and later the BJP, began gaining ground, the Congress started relying on alliances to maintain its hold. In 1992, it tied up with the Republican Party of India (RPI) and later joined hands with the NCP for the BMC polls.

But some of these alliances collapsed at crucial moments. The party abruptly walked away from its understanding with the NCP when it appeared to be in a strong position to win the BMC. In 2007, the Congress again chose not to ally with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

Internal rivalries involving Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, newly inducted leader Narayan Rane and Mumbai Congress president Gurudas Kamat weakened the party just as the Shiv Sena was grappling with defections. The Congress narrowly missed recapturing the corporation.

Status of alliances ahead of BMC elections

With the BJP now the most financially and organisationally dominant force in Mumbai, some analysts and voters believe the Opposition would benefit from putting up a united front in the upcoming BMC elections. But the Congress’s past experience with alliances has made the party cautious. Earlier tie-ups have brought short-term gains but weakened the Congress’s organisation and blurred its ideological position in the long run.

This history shaped the Congress high command’s recent decision to accept the Mumbai unit’s demand to contest the civic polls alone. “We compromised during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, but our office-bearers feel that this civic election should be fought on our own strength. There is nothing wrong with it,” Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala said.

He added that feedback from local leaders had been consistent. “Lower-rung leaders have been telling us that the existence of the party organisation is jeopardised due to alliances at many places. These local body polls give us an opportunity to test the waters,” Chennithala noted.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray echoed this position, saying, “Their party (Congress) is independent, and my party is also independent. Their party is free to make its own decisions, and my party is also independent to make its own decisions.”

On the ruling side, the Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the NCP, is preparing a joint strategy for the BMC elections expected in January. State BJP president Ravindra Chavan has announced that “the upcoming local body elections will be contested under the Mahayuti banner”, while Senior BJP leader and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said seat-sharing within the alliance will be decided on “technical and strategic considerations”.

The upcoming elections may yet see another alliance emerge, which could impact the city’s political map.