Fadnavis Draws The Line – Next Mumbai Mayor Will Be Hindu-Marathi

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today declared that the next Mayor of Mumbai will be from the Hindu-Marathi community, setting the stage for a clear political direction ahead of the long-delayed Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

Speaking at a BJP workers’ convention in Dadar, Fadnavis said: “Mumbai is the heart of Maharashtra. The next Mayor of this great metropolis will be a proud Hindu-Marathi son or daughter of the soil, someone who understands our culture, traditions and the aspirations of Mumbaikars.”

The statement comes amid intense speculation over the BMC polls, which have not been held since March 2022 following the collapse of the previous Shiv Sena-led administration. The civic body has been under state-appointed administrators for nearly four years, with the Supreme Court repeatedly urging timely elections.

Fadnavis’ remark is seen as a clear signal to alliance partner Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and other Mahayuti partners that the BJP intends to claim the mayor’s post — traditionally a prestige position in Mumbai politics — for itself this time. In the past, the mayor’s post has often gone to Shiv Sena nominees when the party held sway in the BMC.

The Chief Minister also emphasised that the chosen candidate would be “someone who can deliver on infrastructure, cleanliness, flood mitigation and development without appeasement politics.” He criticised the previous MVA regime for “neglecting core Marathi and Hindu interests” while allegedly favouring vote-bank politics.

Opposition leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress, NCP-SP, Shiv Sena-UBT) reacted sharply. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut called the statement “divisive and unnecessary”, accusing Fadnavis of “playing the religion card to polarise voters ahead of civic polls.” Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad said the remark “exposes the BJP’s narrow agenda” and questioned why civic governance should be tied to religious or linguistic identity.

With BMC elections expected in the first half of 2026, the mayor’s post — which carries significant administrative and ceremonial importance in Asia’s largest civic body — has become a major point of contention within the Mahayuti alliance. Analysts say Fadnavis’ public assertion strengthens the BJP’s negotiating position while appealing to its core Hindu-Marathi voter base in the city.