BMC Election 2026: BJP Veteran Kirit Somaiya’s Relief As No Opposition Candidate Faces Neil Somaiya in BMC Polls
Mumbai: In a dramatic turn of events for BMC Election 2026, Neil Somaiya son of BJP stalwart Kirit Somaiya, known for his anti-corruption crusades in Maharashtra politics has received an unexpected advantage in the electoral battle. The opposition alliance candidate’s nomination form for Ward No. 107 in Mulund has been rejected on technical grounds, significantly smoothing Neil Somaiya’s path to victory. Remarkably, none of the major opposition parties including Uddhav Thackeray’s faction, Raj Thackeray’s party, Sharad Pawar’s group, or Congress now have a candidate contesting against him in this crucial ward.
Hansraj Danani’s Form Rejection Strengthens Neil Somaiya’s Position
Both the Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray factions had vacated Ward No. 107 for Sharad Pawar’s NCP(SP) as part of seat-sharing arrangements. Pawar’s party fielded Hansraj Danani, who had completed the nomination process. However, his form was invalidated due to the failure to attach a mandatory affidavit with the documentation. Responding to this development, Kirit Somaiya expressed his jubilation on social media, writing, “God is Great! The Thackeray Brothers, Congress, and Sharad Pawar’s party have failed to field a candidate in this ward.”
Fierce Battle in Five Wards, But Equation Changes in Ward 107
While opposition candidates are actively contesting in the other five wards under the Mulund Assembly constituency, only Ward 107 stands without a major opposition alliance nominee, triggering considerable debate. However, Neil Somaiya doesn’t have a completely clear path ahead. Congress has ceded this seat to Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), meaning the VBA candidate along with nine independent contestants remain in the electoral fray against Neil Somaiya.
Traditional BJP Fortress With Strong Support Base
Ward No. 107 is regarded as a traditional BJP stronghold. The area has a substantial Gujarati and Marwadi population, which forms a solid vote bank for the saffron party. Neil Somaiya had previously won from this ward as a corporator in 2017. This time, he also enjoys backing from Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction.
With Sharad Pawar’s party candidate now out of the race, the Thackeray groups and NCP may potentially announce support for an independent contender. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, backed by Congress, could pose a challenge to Neil Somaiya’s campaign. Given Kirit Somaiya’s reputation for exposing corruption among opposition leaders, the opposition is expected to make every possible effort to defeat him in his own stronghold.