Following the Mahayuti alliance’s clean sweep win (or we can say lead, since official results are not announced) over 213 out of the 288 municipal councils (at the time of going to press), attention has now shifted to the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and polls in 29 other municipal corporations, seen as the next big test of political strength.

Voting for the 227 BMC wards will be held on January 15, with counting scheduled the following day. For the past 25 years, the undivided Shiv Sena (now UBT Sena) has ruled the BMC. Now, former ally turned rival BJP, and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are leaving no stone unturned to wrest control of Mumbai’s prestigious civic body from Uddhav Thackeray. Cousins, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, are likely to join hands to prevent the BMC from slipping into the hands of the Mahayuti alliance.