Mumbai, Dec 29 (NationPress) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made headlines on Monday by announcing its first roster of 66 candidates for the forthcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. This move marks the party's official entry into a fiercely contested race for Asia's wealthiest civic institution.

Among the prominent figures included in the initial list are Tejasvee Ghosalkar, Ganesh Khankar, Manisha Yadav, Milind Shinde, and Akash Purohit. Ghosalkar, who recently departed from Shiv Sena UBT, has joined forces with the BJP, while Purohit is the offspring of former party minister Raj Purohit.

A standout feature of this list is the candidacy of Ravi Raja, the previous Leader of Opposition in the BMC, who recently transitioned from the Congress party to the BJP. Raja is set to contest from Ward No 185 in Dharavi, a strategic move that poses a direct challenge to Congress's dominance in the area.

Other notable contenders include Neil Somaiya (Ward 107), son of former MP Kirit Somaiya, Makarand Narvekar (Ward 226), and Harshita Narvekar (Ward 227), both of whom are related to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar, along with Tejinder Singh Tiwana (Ward 47).

The timing of the BJP's candidate announcement coincides with ongoing discussions regarding seat-sharing with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Although both factions assert their alliance under MahaYuti, they face challenges in finalizing a seat-sharing agreement due to intense negotiations.

BJP insiders reveal that the party aims to contest 150 seats and is unwilling to concede to the Shinde faction's request for 100 seats. Instead, they are looking to finalize a deal whereby the BJP contests 140 seats, leaving 87 seats for the Shinde faction.

The upcoming 2026 elections will reshape Mumbai's political landscape, as for the first time in nearly two decades, brothers Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are expected to collaborate in the municipal elections, following their alliance announcement last week.

While the BJP and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena maintain their alliance, Ajit Pawar’s NCP has opted for an independent campaign in Mumbai.

The BJP has notably decided against an alliance with Ajit Pawar's faction in Mumbai, particularly due to Nawab Malik. In retaliation, the NCP has nominated three members of the Malik family, including Sana Malik's aunt, uncle, and sister-in-law.

The State Election Commission has declared that voting for the BMC and the other 28 municipal corporations across Maharashtra will occur on January 15, 2026, with results to be announced after the counting process on January 16, 2026.