Maharashtra BMC, 28 Civic Polls Jan 15: Shiv Sena factions clash, vote theft row.

• Maharashtra's BMC and 28 other municipal corporations will hold elections on January 15, with results on January 16.
• These are the first BMC elections since the 2022 Shiv Sena split, pitting Uddhav Thackeray's faction against Eknath Shinde's.
• A total of 2,869 seats are contested across 29 civic bodies, with 3.48 crore eligible voters.
• The elections are crucial for Shiv Sena (UBT) to regain control of Mumbai's political and financial power.
• Controversy surrounds alleged 'vote theft' and duplicate voter entries, with Shiv Sena (UBT) claiming thousands of fake entries.

Why It Matters: BMC elections are a crucial test for Shiv Sena factions post-split.