BJP's BMC Victory Could Alter Visual Symbols After Decades of Shiv Sena Dominance
For more than twenty years, a specific detail inside the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters stayed the same. The mayor's table and the standing committee chairman's table always had saffron cloths draped over them. This color directly echoed the flag of the Shiv Sena, the party that controlled the civic body for nearly a quarter of a century.
That long-standing visual tradition might soon see a change. The Bharatiya Janata Party has emerged as the single-largest party in the newly elected corporation. Political observers expect the BJP to claim the mayor's post. If that happens, the visual identity of these key offices could receive a subtle makeover. The BJP's party flag features both saffron and green, unlike the Shiv Sena's purely saffron banner.
Practical Renovations Underway in Civic Halls
Meanwhile, practical renovation work has already begun across the corporation. Teams are focusing on the main corporation hall, the standing committee hall, and other statutory committee rooms. These spaces saw limited use for almost three and a half years. Now, the focus is on essential fixes and upgrades.
Workers are conducting termite treatments and performing deep cleaning. They are upgrading upholstery and replacing worn-out chairs where necessary. When reporters visited the standing committee hall on Monday, they observed active refurbishment. A tailor sat right inside the hallway with his sewing machine, stitching new cushion fabric together for all the chairs that new corporators will use.
A BMC official provided details on the upgrades. "We have also changed the air-conditioning of the hall, after almost a decade," the official said. The aim is clear: to ensure the corporation hall and all committee halls are fully functional before the new elected body settles into its work. Testing of sound systems is also in full swing within these halls to guarantee everything operates smoothly.
Political Realignments Reshape Office Allocations
The political shifts will visibly reshape the allocation of party offices inside the BMC building. In a significant move, the BJP, as the party with the highest number of corporators, is set to take over the Shiv Sena's former party office. This office has historically been the largest among all civic party spaces and served as a nerve centre of power within the BMC.
Another notable development involves the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. With eight corporators now, AIMIM will for the first time receive a dedicated party office inside the BMC headquarters. This allocation marks the party's formal entry into Mumbai's civic power structure. Until recently, all party offices functioned as election work stations, with coordination teams using them over the past several months.
The coming weeks will reveal how these physical and symbolic changes reflect the new political reality in India's financial capital.
