For many decades, the Thackeray brothers enjoyed strong political support from Mumbai's voters. This support proved incredibly beneficial for their family's political ambitions. It allowed them to place their own mayors in power starting from the 1970s. More importantly, it gave them total control over India's wealthiest civic body for a continuous twenty-five-year period beginning in 1997.
A Dramatic Change in Voter Sentiment
However, the political landscape in Mumbai is undergoing a profound transformation. The same voters who once consistently backed the Thackerays are now making their voices heard in a very different way. They are actively asserting themselves against a particular style of politics that has long defined the region.
Rejecting Old Tactics
Voters are now pushing back against what they see as a politics built on fear. They are also rejecting the practice of targeting multiple communities through harsh rhetoric. Furthermore, there is a clear resistance to attempts that seek to isolate the Marathi-speaking community into a political or social ghetto. This represents a fundamental challenge to the established order.
The shift in Mumbai's electorate signals a potential end to an era of dynastic control. The city's political future now appears more uncertain and contested than it has been in over half a century.
