High Stakes BMC Polls: Thackeray, Shinde Vie for Sena Legacy and Mumbai

• Maharashtra's civic body elections, including the BMC, are scheduled for January 15, with results on January 16.
• The BMC election is a critical test for the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions, determining control of the Shiv Sena's legacy.
• The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is India's richest and Asia's wealthiest civic body, making its control highly significant.
• The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance (BJP, Shinde Sena, Ajit Pawar NCP) will contest the Mumbai polls unitedly.
• Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are aligning, while the Congress has reservations about the MNS joining the opposition front.

Why It Matters: Mumbai's BMC elections are a high-stakes battle for Shiv Sena's control and future.