The Congress party has made a strategic decision to contest the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections independently, marking a significant shift in its political approach in Maharashtra. This move is seen as an attempt to reclaim the ideological and organizational space that the party has either surrendered or compromised for its allies in recent years.
Reclaiming Lost Ground
According to Ramesh Chennithala, the Maharashtra Congress in-charge, the party's local unit in Mumbai specifically requested permission to fight the civic polls alone. The decision reflects growing sentiment among party office-bearers that Congress must rely on its own strength rather than depending on alliance partners. Chennithala emphasized that despite being part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, each political party retains the right to strengthen its organizational structure.
The need for this strategic reorientation becomes clear when examining recent electoral history. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress contested only two out of six seats in Mumbai, a significant reduction from the five seats it traditionally fought. Similarly, in the 2024 assembly polls, the party had to settle for just 11 of 36 assembly seats while Shiv Sena (UBT) contested 22 seats.
Organizational Challenges and Voter Base Concerns
Party insiders reveal that the upcoming alliance between Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) would have further complicated seat-sharing negotiations. A Mumbai Congress leader highlighted the particular challenge of appealing to the party's core voter base - including North Indian, Muslim, and Gujarati communities - while being in an alliance that might not align with their interests.
The compromise on organizational space has taken a severe toll on Congress's presence across Maharashtra. A senior party leader pointed to regions like Konkan and north Maharashtra where Congress has virtually lost its organizational footprint. More critically, the party has negligible presence in the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), which has experienced rapid urbanization in recent years.
This absence translates to Congress having no substantial leadership in approximately 50-60 assembly seats in the 288-member state assembly, significantly damaging its prospects of returning to power in Maharashtra.
Testing New Waters and Building Future Strategy
The local body elections present Congress with an opportunity to reassess its political strategy. According to party analysis, except for the 2014 assembly polls when all parties fought separately, Congress hasn't contested any election independently since 1999. This long dependence on alliances means the party lacks crucial electoral data from many areas to formulate future strategies.
In a recent meeting to discuss local poll strategy, state Congress leaders decided to explore alliances with smaller parties in districts where BJP has effectively eliminated other political players by poaching their leaders. This approach allows Congress to maintain its MVA partnerships while creating additional alliances where necessary.
The BMC election thus becomes more than just a civic poll for Congress - it represents a critical test of the party's ability to rebuild from the ground up and reclaim its political relevance in India's financial capital.
