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Congress Confident of Strong BMC Polls Show, Slams Divisive Politics

The Congress party has expressed strong confidence about its performance in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections. Leaders Udit Raj and Sachin Sawant criticized opponents for politics based on religious and caste polarization, positioning Congress as the party focused on development. The party's manifesto includes promises like universal health cards and improved air quality for Mumbai. Voting for the BMC and 28 other municipal corporations in Maharashtra is scheduled for January 15, 2026.

Key Points: Congress Confident Ahead of BMC Elections, Focus on Development

  • Congress confident in BMC election prospects
  • Manifesto promises health cards, better air quality
  • Leaders criticize divisive religious, caste politics
  • BMC elections set for January 15 across 227 wards
  • Civic body has been under administrator since 2022
3 min read

Party will perform well: Cong shows confidence ahead of BMC election

Congress leaders express confidence for Mumbai's BMC polls, promising development and criticizing rivals for divisive politics based on religion and caste.

"People want the Congress... Fighting elections on Hindu-Muslim lines is an old tactic of the BJP and Shiv Sena. - Udit Raj"

Mumbai, Jan 12

With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections just days away, the Congress on Monday expressed confidence about its prospects, saying the party is set to perform well in the upcoming civic polls.

This comes days after the Mumbai Congress, on January 6, released its manifesto for the BMC Elections 2026.

The manifesto promises a series of welfare and development-oriented measures, including steps to improve air quality in the city and the introduction of universal health cards that would provide citizens with free medicines.

Speaking to IANS, Congress leader Udit Raj said that people are increasingly inclined towards the Congress and disillusioned with politics based on religious polarisation.

"People want the Congress. This is my own experience, and I am confident that the results will be good. Fighting elections on Hindu-Muslim lines is an old tactic of the BJP and Shiv Sena," he said.

He added that Maharashtra's social composition has changed over time.

"The population today is mixed. The question people are asking is what they are getting in return. If the BMC cannot provide clean drinking water and good roads, and if thousands of workers are still not made permanent, then people will look for alternatives. That is why the Congress will perform well this time," Raj said.

Another Congress leader, Sachin Sawant, echoed similar views and said the party is focussed on development rather than divisive politics.

"We have announced our slogan, 'Vivaad nahi, Vikas chahiye'. Congress is the party talking about development, while others are creating disputes in the name of religion, caste, and regional language. We do not expect anything constructive from them," he told IANS.

Maharashtra will vote to elect its BMC corporators on January 15. A total of 1,729 candidates are contesting the elections across 227 wards. The results for the country's richest civic body will be announced the following day, on January 16.

The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday on the day of polling, as elections for 29 municipal corporations, including the BMC, are being held simultaneously across the state.

The last BMC elections were held in 2017, and the corporation's tenure ended on March 7, 2022. Since then, the civic body has been administered by an appointed administrator. The official election process began with the notification issued in December 2025.

The State Election Commission announced on December 15, 2025, that voting would take place in a single phase on January 15, 2026, between 7.30 am and 5.30 pm. More than 1.03 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots across all 227 wards under the Model Code of Conduct.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
I want to believe this, but we've heard promises before. The BMC has been rudderless for years. Free medicines sound great, but where is the plan to pay for it? The Congress needs to show a clear financial roadmap, not just manifestos.
A
Aman W
As a Mumbaikar, my only question is: who will actually fix the potholes before the next monsoon? That's the real development we need to see. All parties talk big before elections.
S
Sarah B
Improving air quality is a massive issue for the city. If the Congress has a serious, actionable plan for that, it would be a game-changer. The health impacts are too severe to ignore any longer.
V
Vikram M
The point about making thousands of temporary workers permanent is crucial. These are people who keep the city running. Security for them means better services for us. This is a solid point in their manifesto.
K
Karthik V
Confidence is good, but the BMC election is a local body election. It should be about hyper-local issues – garbage collection in my lane, water supply timing, park maintenance. I hope all candidates remember that.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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