Why are the Thackeray brothers are coming together?
The Thackeray brothers are coming together mainly due to political compulsion and opportunity:
- BMC stakes: Mumbai’s civic body is their traditional power base; divided votes earlier helped BJP. Unity improves winning chances.
- Marathi vote consolidation: Together, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray can reunite the fragmented Marathi-speaking electorate.
- Counter BJP dominance: A joint front checks BJP’s growing urban influence.
- Mutual survival: Both leaders need relevance—Uddhav after the party split, Raj after repeated electoral setbacks.
About BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation)
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is not just a municipal body—it is Mumbai’s real power center.
1. Scale & Importance
- Governs Mumbai, India’s financial capital
- Established in 1888 (colonial-era institution)
- Asia’s richest municipal corporation
2. Massive Budget Power
- Annual budget: ₹50,000–60,000 crore
- Bigger than budgets of several Indian states and Union Territories
Funds used for:
- Roads, flyovers, coastal roads
- Water supply & sewage
- Government hospitals (KEM, Sion, Nair, etc.)
- Public schools, slum redevelopment
- Disaster management (floods, monsoon response)
Whoever controls BMC controls money flow, contracts, and urban infrastructure.
3. Political Control & Structure
- 227 elected corporators from Mumbai wards
- Corporators elect: Mayor (symbolic but political face)
- Standing Committee (real financial power)
- Municipal Commissioner (IAS officer) executes policy but political backing matters
4. Why BMC Elections Matter So Much
BMC is the last major power base of the undivided Shiv Sena legacy. Control gives:
- Grassroots cadre strength
- Influence over Mumbai’s voters
- Funding networks for future state & national elections
- Losing BMC often means long-term political decline in Maharashtra
5. Thackeray Angle
- Shiv Sena ruled BMC for over 25 years uninterrupted
- After the Sena split, both Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray see BMC as:
- A survival battle
- A test of Marathi political unity
- A chance to block BJP’s Mumbai takeover