Rajdeep Sardesai Outlines 5 Key Factors For Crucial BMC Election Outcome |What Will Define BMC Polls

On this special report, India Today’s consulting editor Rajdeep Sardesai joins a panel of experts to analyse the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Sardesai identifies five critical 'X-factors' that will determine the results of India's richest civic body. He notes, 'It is the localization of elections versus the attempt to make this about a national narrative that I think is important'. The discussion highlights the shifting demographics of Mumbai, where the Marathi-speaking population now stands at approximately 32-34 percent. Sardesai also examines the 'Fadnavis factor', noting that Devendra Fadnavis has positioned himself as the face of development for the city. The panel further explores the 'Mamu factor'—a consolidation of Marathi and Muslim votes—and how the split within the Shiv Sena might impact the traditional Marathi vote bank. The programme provides a deep dive into the political mathematics following the 2017 results, where the BJP and an undivided Shiv Sena were neck-and-neck.