Delhi | The run-up to the Maharashtra Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections has been marked by unprecedented chaos, intense competition and open dissent, as political parties struggled to manage an overwhelming scramble for tickets across wards.
From Shiv Sena and BJP to Congress, both factions of the NCP and the MNS, every major party witnessed scenes of unrest as aspirants and their supporters crowded ward-level offices late into the night. In many places, party workers were made to wait in confined rooms until as late as 3 am, with leadership attempting to keep candidate names under wraps to prevent rebellion.
As exhaustion set in, emotions spilled over. There were scenes of aspirants collapsing, shouting slogans, pleading at the feet of senior leaders, and disgruntled workers surrounding ministers’ vehicles. Some claimed they had quit their jobs for the party, while others chased cars clutching AB forms as if they were life-saving documents. In several instances, denial of tickets led to vandalism at party offices and open protests in different forms.
These images emerged not from a politically backward region, but from the urban centres of one of India’s most developed states. The intensity of the fight has raised uncomfortable questions: why this desperation to become corporators in civic bodies that are already widely seen as dysfunctional? If so many people aspire to lead cities, why do urban areas continue to struggle with crumbling infrastructure, poor public transport, unaffordable healthcare and lack of clean drinking water?
The blame largely lies with the current state of politics, which many believe has sunk to a level that would dishearten even the late leaders who once shaped Maharashtra as a progressive and civilised state. Municipal elections, held after a gap of eight to nine years in many places, have further heightened the frenzy, as long-suppressed ambitions suddenly found an outlet. While competition was inevitable, the manner in which parties have handled the situation has been widely criticised as crude and irresponsible.
Despite being on opposite sides of power equations, parties have freely indulged in defections and shifting loyalties, creating confusion among voters. Leaders who attack each other in one city are seen aligning or soft-pedalling in neighbouring areas, blurring ideological lines and eroding public trust. The spectacle has left citizens questioning whether such contradictions deserve belief at the ballot box.
Significantly, no party managed to release its official list of candidates until the very last moment, highlighting deep internal disarray. Parties that once prided themselves on strong booth-level organisation have reportedly relied on private surveys to finalise candidates, sidelining loyal workers and fuelling resentment.
Political observers warn that this unchecked opportunism and erosion of values is damaging Maharashtra’s reputation at the national level. The growing perception that urban politics has turned into a battle for control over territories rather than public service has only deepened voter cynicism.
As the BMC elections approach, what remains clear is that beyond slogans and alliances, the credibility of political parties and the health of urban democracy in Maharashtra are both at stake.
