Mumbai's 2026 BMC elections feature a significant realignment with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's MNS forming an alliance to capture the Marathi Manoos vote. They face the Mahayuti combine, led by Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and the BJP, which emphasizes development. The campaign centers on Marathi identity, with 10 key wards, including Aaditya Thackeray's home turf G-South and the historic Sena birthplace G-North, becoming crucial battlegrounds for control of the Marathi heartland.