In a significant move ahead of the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, alongside his son and party leader Aditya Thackeray, unveiled a comprehensive poll manifesto on Tuesday. The document outlines a vision focused on substantial financial relief for citizens, empowerment of women, and the restoration of Mumbai's infrastructure and global stature.
Core Promises: Electricity and Direct Financial Support
The manifesto's cornerstone is a promise to provide 100 units of free electricity per month to all households in Mumbai if the party is voted to power in the civic body. This pledge directly targets one of the most significant monthly expenses for Mumbaikars and aims to provide substantial economic relief.
In a major push for women's welfare, the Thackeray-led faction has promised a monthly financial assistance of ₹1,500 to every woman head of a family in the city. This sop is positioned as a measure to support household finances and empower women economically.
Restoring Mumbai's Glory and Civic Infrastructure
Beyond immediate financial sops, the manifesto delves into long-term civic issues. Uddhav Thackeray accused the current administrators, including the state-appointed municipal commissioner and the ruling coalition in the state, of systematically "destroying" Mumbai over the past two and a half years. He vowed to reverse this decline.
The party has promised to restore the city's reputation as a safe and secure global metropolis. Key focus areas include a massive overhaul of the stormwater drainage system to prevent chronic waterlogging during monsoons, and a dedicated push to solve the city's perennial pothole problem, which damages vehicles and causes traffic chaos annually.
Political Context and Electoral Battle
The release of this manifesto sets the stage for a high-stakes electoral battle for control of India's richest municipal corporation. The Shiv Sena, now split into two factions—the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) group and the Eknath Shinde-led party allied with the BJP—is fighting to reclaim its traditional bastion.
Uddhav Thackeray framed the upcoming BMC elections as a fight to save Mumbai from further ruin and to bring back a people-centric governance model. The promises of free utilities and direct cash transfer are seen as a direct appeal to the city's vast middle-class and lower-income voter base, who feel the pinch of rising living costs.
The manifesto launch event served as a platform for Thackeray to critique the current administration's policies and present his faction as the true inheritor of the original Shiv Sena's legacy of championing the cause of Marathi manoos and all Mumbaikars. With these promises, the Sena (UBT) aims to draw a clear line between its vision and that of its political opponents, making civic issues and economic relief the central theme of its campaign.
