AAP Enters Mumbai Civic Politics, Announces BMC Poll Contest & First 21 Candidates

• The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its decision to contest all 227 seats in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, releasing an initial list of 21 candidates.
• This move marks AAP's formal entry into Mumbai's civic politics, aiming to provide an alternative to what it calls decades of misgovernance and corruption by established parties in the BMC.
• AAP leaders, including Mumbai unit chief Preeti Sharma Menon, criticized BMC's "monumental ineptitude," citing issues like poor public services, declining schools, overburdened hospitals, and environmental concerns despite a large budget.
• AAP MP Sanjay Singh highlighted the party's governance model in Delhi and Punjab, promising quality education, healthcare, electricity, and water without corruption, suggesting a similar solution for Mumbai.
• The BMC elections, along with 28 other civic corporations, are scheduled for January 15, with results on January 16, involving 2,869 seats and 3.48 crore eligible voters across Maharashtra.

Why It Matters: AAP officially enters Mumbai's BMC elections, promising corruption-free governance and releasing 21 candidates.