The BMC comprises a total of 227 wards. Although the NCP is part of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance at the state level, it has opted to run independently in the Mumbai civic elections, according to news agency PTI.
Party MLA Sana Malik noted that a second list of candidates is expected to be released shortly.
This decision arises amid frayed relations between the BJP and NCP in Mumbai. Previously, BJP Mumbai president Amit Satam dismissed the possibility of an alliance with the NCP for the upcoming elections, citing the influence of senior leader Nawab Malik in shaping the party’s BMC election strategy.
Malik faces accusations in a money laundering case and has ties with associates of Dawood Ibrahim, as reported by PTI.
Mahayuti finalises seat-sharing in Mumbai
Additionally, the ruling Mahayuti alliance has also solidified seat-sharing arrangements for most BMC wards. Maharashtra BJP leader Amit Satam announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have reached an agreement regarding 207 of the 227 seats.
“Consensus has been achieved on 207 seats in the BMC, with the BJP contesting 128 and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena taking 79. Discussions are ongoing for the remaining 20 seats, with decisions to be made based on the candidates involved,” Satam stated, according to PTI.
Read more: BMC Elections 2026: Shinde’s Shiv Sena and BJP finalise seat-sharing, check details
He further added that the BJP and the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena will jointly contest the Mumbai civic elections, even though the Mahayuti alliance also includes the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
The Mahayuti alliance is set to face opposition from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray.
Mumbai civic poll schedule
The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has announced that elections for 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the financially robust BMC, will take place in a single phase on January 15, 2026, with counting scheduled for January 16.
The deadline for filing nominations is December 30, with withdrawals closing on January 2.
In the 2017 BMC elections, the then-undivided Shiv Sena emerged as the largest party with 84 seats, followed closely by the BJP with 82, as reported by PTI.
Read more: Mumbai civic polls: Congress and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi seal alliance
