Marathi Candidates Take Center Stage in Mumbai's BMC Elections
Political parties contesting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls have overwhelmingly chosen to play the identity card. They are fielding a significant number of Marathi-speaking candidates across the board. This strategic move comes despite census data showing less than forty-five percent of Mumbaikars list Marathi as their first language.
BJP Leads the Charge with Marathi Ticket Allocation
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has allocated close to seventy percent of its tickets to Marathi candidates. Of the remaining tickets, approximately fifteen percent go to candidates from north Indian communities. Another thirteen percent are given to Gujarati candidates. Notably, the BJP has not fielded a single Muslim candidate in this election cycle.
The Indian National Congress, which often claims a more diverse candidate selection, has also allocated more than forty-five percent of its seats to Marathi aspirants. Across various political parties and Mumbai suburbs, Marathi-speaking candidates dominate the electoral field. They are followed by Muslim and north Indian candidates in terms of representation.
Observers Point to Deliberate Political Strategy
Political analysts say this trend is no accident. The BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have carefully reworked their candidate lists. They are responding to the high-decibel nativist campaign run by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). This campaign actively seeks to woo the Marathi manoos, or Marathi-speaking populace.
The situation contrasts sharply with the last BMC poll in 2017. During that election, more than seventy-five corporators turned out to be non-Marathi. Many of them won on BJP tickets. This time, all political sides are acutely mindful of the rhetoric unleashed by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). These parties suggest that Marathi speakers are being marginalized in their own state.
Professor Neeraj Hatekar, a former Mumbai University professor, provided specific numbers. He stated that between the BJP and the Shinde Sena, a little more than one hundred sixty Marathi candidates have been fielded. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has over one hundred thirty Marathi candidates. "It reflects the old truth about Mumbai: that identity still shapes politics as much as ideology," Professor Hatekar remarked.
Historical Roots of Marathi Identity in Mumbai Politics
This political truth has deep historical roots. Long before Mumbai became India's financial capital, it served as the centre of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. This movement successfully pulled the city into a Marathi-speaking state. It made language a permanent part of Mumbai's enduring political vocabulary.
That powerful sentiment later fueled the rise of the Shiv Sena. The party turned Marathi identity into a formidable political force. For decades, this identity formed the axis around which Mumbai's entire political landscape revolved.
Mumbai's Inherent Cosmopolitanism Faces a Parochial Challenge
Yet, Mumbai has never been a city of just one community. Parsis, Goans, Gujaratis, Konkani Muslims, and successive waves of migrants from across India built its economy. They shaped its iconic cinema industry and staffed its mills and offices. This diverse influx gave Mumbai its distinctive, restless cosmopolitan character.
"A city that projects itself as global and cosmopolitan cannot easily reconcile itself with this kind of parochialism," said Abhay Pethe, another former Mumbai University professor. "But elections are a different beast."
The difficulty for parties this time stems from the outcome of the last election. In 2017, seventy-six of the two hundred twenty-seven elected corporators were non-Marathi. This figure would have been unthinkable in earlier decades. "But early on this time, the narrative was that with Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray coming together, the Marathi card would be played," Pethe explained. "So it became electorally safer to field more Marathi candidates."
BJP's Rise and Strategic Representation
Analysts point to a deeper shift over the last decade. The rise of the BJP has drawn support across caste, language, and migrant lines. This has quietly reshaped Mumbai's political map. The shift has forced all parties to think more strategically about candidate representation.
Mumbai BJP president and MLA Ameet Satam defended his party's approach. "We have given representation to all communities," Satam stated. "Tickets were given based on local sentiment, winnability, and merit. We have also focused on a dynamic mix across age groups and educational backgrounds. We have fielded sixty-three graduates and postgraduates."
Demographic Shifts and Electoral Calculations
Other undercurrents have impacted candidate selection. Professor D P Singh of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) highlighted a key demographic change. The return of migrant workers to states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh after the pandemic has reduced their electoral visibility within Mumbai's core. A gradual relocation to cheaper suburbs like Thane and Navi Mumbai has further diluted their concentration.
"Parties don't even have a recent census to go by," Professor Singh noted. "There is no real mathematical relationship between population shares and ticket distribution. But anecdotally, this time, there are clearly more Maharashtrian candidates because most parties believe the Marathi manoos matter more electorally."
Professor Singh concluded that the current election does not represent a retreat from identity politics. Instead, it signifies a "recalibration" of it. The city is once again negotiating the complex question of who it belongs to. This happens even as Mumbai continues to absorb new waves of people who come searching for opportunities and a better life.
