Mumbai, Dec 25 (PTI) The Congress’ decision to contest the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections independently has fragmented the Opposition space in the Mumbai civic battle and turned the January 15 polls into a multi-cornered contest.

The party cited the alignment between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s MNS as the reason for opting out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) arrangement for the civic polls.

According to political observers, the Congress’ move to go solo, focusing on local issues and ideological clarity, reflects strategic recalibration and political vulnerability. It is a bold gambit but one fraught with risk in a political landscape dominated by well-entrenched alliances and resurgent rivals, they said.

How the Congress navigates this terrain in Mumbai could have long-lasting implications for its political fortunes in Maharashtra and beyond, they said.

Historically, the Congress was a dominant force in Mumbai’s civic politics, but the last three decades have seen a steady decline in its seat share.

In the last polls in 2017, the then undivided Shiv Sena (84) and BJP (82) were neck-and-neck, while the Congress’ tally plunged to just 31 seats.

Congress leaders said they could not align with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) due to ideological differences, particularly over its stand on linguistic identity and migrant issues, which they argue run contrary to their party’s inclusive image.

“We cannot be part of an alliance that promotes divisive politics,” Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala has said.

The Congress strategy is aimed at consolidating minority, Dalit and migrant voters, sections that may be uncomfortable with the MNS’ links with the Maha Vikas Aghadi, said party leaders.

MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), while the Mahayuti consists of the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP under Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

The Congress has also indicated that its campaign will focus on local issues such as infrastructure, flooding, air pollution and alleged corruption in the functioning of the BMC.

Political analysts said that the approach allows the Congress to target the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance on governance while distancing itself from Uddhav Thackeray’s party, which controlled the BMC for over two decades until 2022.

However, the decision carries significant risks, they said. In recent elections, Opposition unity has been viewed as a key factor in countering the BJP’s organisational strength. A divided Opposition in Mumbai could potentially benefit the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) alliance.

The Congress also faces organisational challenges in the city. Its grassroots presence has weakened over the years, raising questions about its ability to field strong candidates across all 227 wards.

Talks with Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) for a possible understanding are ongoing, though sources say differences over seat-sharing have so far prevented a formal alliance.

A good showing in the BMC polls could help the Congress rebuild its organisational base in Maharashtra and bargaining power ahead of future elections, while a poor performance could further marginalise it in the state’s urban political landscape.

Control of the BMC is considered politically significant due to its large budget and influence over Mumbai’s civic administration.

However, the Congress’ decision could turn the BMC polls into what might have been a bipolar fight into a crowded, multipolar battle. Congress leaders insist the gamble is existential rather than tactical.

The immediate trigger was the long-anticipated rapprochement between Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj Thackeray, which was formally announced on Wednesday.

For the Congress, Raj Thackeray’s aggressive “sons of the soil” rhetoric, often directed at North Indian migrants, is a problem. Party leaders argue they cannot sacrifice the Congress’s long-held positioning as a secular, inclusive force in Mumbai’s diverse electorate.

“We cannot align with forces that divide the city on linguistic lines. Our fight is for ‘vikas’ (development), not ‘vivad’ (division), Chennithala had said earlier.

Political observers said that by contesting independently, the Congress aims to position itself as the only national, secular alternative in the fray.

The party is betting heavily on the Muslim, Dalits, and North Indian vote banks, segments potentially alienated by the MNS’ presence in the opposition camp.

The deployment of Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and former MP Mohammad Azharuddin shows the party’s targeted outreach to Telugu- and Urdu-speaking neighbourhoods, signalling a return to identity-based micro-mobilisation.

The Congress plans to release detailed “chargesheets” alleging corruption and administrative failures in the BMC -- both under the current state dispensation and during the Shiv Sena’s earlier control of the civic body.

However, a multi-cornered contest could indirectly benefit the Mahayuti alliance, said political analysts.

Whether the bet to go solo pays off could shape not just the city’s civic future, but the Congress’ trajectory in Maharashtra for years to come, they added.

Elections to 29 civic corporations, including the BMC, in Maharashtra will be held on January 15, and votes will be counted the next day. PTI MR NR