BMC elections 2026: Why Congress' dash for last-minute alliances left Mumbai cadre stunned

The Mumbai Congress leadership has defended the alliance with VBA and others for the BMC elections 2026. (Representational Image)

• Congress forms BMC poll alliance with VBA, RSP, and RPI (Gavai)
• VBA gets 62 wards, RSP 10, RPI 2; local Congress leaders surprised.
• Alliance aims to consolidate secular votes and counter BJP-Shinde Sena bloc

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In a dramatic pre-poll shift that has unsettled rank-and-file workers ahead of the January 15 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the Indian National Congress on Sunday surprised its Mumbai unit by reversing its earlier plan to contest all 227 wards independently and instead entering a last-minute alliance with smaller parties.

The party formally agreed to a seat-sharing pact with Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), allocating it 62 wards, along with 10 seats for the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP) and two for the Republican Party of India (Gavai faction). As many of these seats fall in areas traditionally seen as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongholds, the move appears to have taken local Congress leaders by surprise.

The centralised seat-sharing decision and handover of key wards to alliance partners came without adequate consultation with the city leadership, leaving many activists "stunned" and frustrated in the run-up to one of the state's most high-profile local polls, local media reports said citing party sources.

"For years, Congress politics here remained within fixed frameworks and despite alliance ties, the party often played a secondary role," a state Congress leader said.

"The decision to give away so many wards, especially in areas like Prabhadevi-Mahim which have no significant Dalit settlements, to a civic newcomer like VBA is beyond comprehension," the leader added.

Responding to the criticism, Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad said the alliance with VBA and others was driven by a shared commitment to "protecting democracy and safeguarding the Constitution".

She stressed that the coalition aims to prioritise the "issues concerning the city's residents" and plans to release a joint manifesto soon.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant clarified that the party's leadership aims to "take along like-minded parties and strengthen secular forces", saying this strategy "may pave the way for future politics in Maharashtra".

The unexpected tie-up, just days before the nominations close for the BMC polls, is a reversal from the congress' earlier stand where it had declared that it will contest all wards on its own.

The decision also comes in the backdrop of rival alliances and intra-bloc dynamics, including the reunion of the Thackeray brothers and manoeuvring by the Nationalist Congress Party factions ahead of the civic polls.

While Congress had originally planned to contest all wards on its own strength, the decision to share a significant chunk of seats have once again brought its organisational challenges in urban Maharashtra back in focus. The decision, party workers believe, also underline its inability to counter the BJP-Shinde Sena alliance and other contenders.

By forging tactical partnerships with VBA, RSP and others, the party leadership is attempting to forge a broader coalition capable of consolidating secular and non-BJP votes even if it means disrupting its own conventional campaign playbook.

The BJP, on the other hand, sees the Congress' alliance with smaller parties as a face-saver since it does not have candidates to field in most wards.