BMC: As Parties Talk Bangladesh, Marathi Pride, Survey Shows What Voters Want

A survey by CVoter ahead of BMC elections shows cost of living & development are biggest concerns for Mumbaikars.

BMC: As Parties Talk Bangladesh, Marathi Pride, CVoter Survey Shows What Voters Want

(Photo: PTI)

At least 51% of Mumbaikars think that the Thackeray cousins reuniting in Mumbai will tilt Marathi voters towards them and boost their prospects in the upcoming civic body elections, while 41% of Mumbaikars believe former chief minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is the true inheritor of the Thackeray brand, a survey revealed ahead of the high-stakes polling on 15 January.

According to a survey by agency C-Voter, at least 22% of voters in the city think that all political parties are power-hungry.

The fight for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is an existential one for the Thackeray cousins — specifically for Sena (UBT). After riding the anti-incumbency wave in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with the Opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, the party faced a rout in the Assembly elections a few months later, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti winning a sweeping majority.

(Photo: PTI)

For the BJP, meanwhile, it is a prestige battle. While over 32% of voters think Mahayuti’s performance since 2024 will help the alliance in the civic polls, a BMC win will ensure complete control of Asia’s richest civic body for the BJP.

An average of 62% of Mumbai’s voters think the mayor should be Marathi-speaking.

But with the city’s politics ranging from the Marathi manoos pitch of the Thackerays to the BJP's ‘Bangladeshi ouster’ narrative, what do citizens really want? Here’s what the survey indicates:

About 20% Think All Parties Are Power-Hungry

According to the survey, over 20.8% of voters think that the constant making and breaking of alliances in the past few years has been all about power.

In the 24–35 age group, this average is higher at 26.7%. While 21.9% of voters think there are no principles in politics, 21.4% simply hate the politics of the state.

About 44.7% of voters also expressed concerns over scores of elections being held unopposed in the local body polls.

(Graphic: The Quint)

BJP, Congress Most 'Principled' Parties

While 27.6% of voters think the BJP is the most principled party, the Congress ranked second in the survey at 24%.

For 15.7% of voters, Uddhav’s Sena was the third choice.

(Graphic: The Quint)

Development, Cost of Living Biggest Issues for Voters

While political rallies are making headlines for hate against immigrants by the Thackerays and the ‘Bangladeshi infiltrators’ pitch by the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, the cost of living in the city remains an issue for 24.9% of voters, with local development being a concern for 22.1%.

For 15.5% of voters, corruption is another major concern.

(Graphic: The Quint)

Silver Lining for Thackerays in the Survey

A striking 51.3% of voters think that the Thackeray cousins reuniting for the elections will tilt Marathi-speaking voters in their favour.

While 43.7% of voters see the Thackerays as an influential brand, 28.7% of voters still think the brand has weakened.

Meanwhile, 41% of voters still see Uddhav Thackeray as the heir to the Thackeray brand, compared to 27.6% in favour of Shinde. Only 10.4% of voters think MNS chief Raj Thackeray is the ‘true inheritor’.