As Mumbai heads into civic elections on January 15, records show that more than 99 per cent of development funds released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation over the past three years went to wards represented by the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.
RTI data shows that of the Rs 1,490.66 crore sanctioned for civic works since February 2023, Rs 1,476.92 crore went to constituencies held by the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
In contrast, only Rs 13.74 crore or 0.9 per cent was allocated to the Opposition, and that too solely to Congress MLA Amin Patel from Mumbadevi. Ten Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs, two Congress MLAs, and one SP legislator received no funds at all during this period.
The funds were sanctioned for projects such as road repairs, drainage upgrades, health facilities, and neighbourhood beautification.
BJP legislators received the largest share at Rs 1,076.7 crore, followed by the Shinde Sena at Rs 372.7 crore. Among individual beneficiaries, BJP MLA Ram Kadam received Rs 70 crore, followed by Yogesh Sagar with Rs 67.47 crore and Atul Bhatkhalkar with Rs 66.06 crore.
The trend continued in the months leading up to the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, when over Rs 467 crore was released almost entirely to ruling alliance legislators. Between August and September 2024 alone, Rs 357.3 crore was sanctioned for 23 ruling MLAs, while Amin Patel received Rs 3.92 crore.
The policy enabling MLAs and MPs to propose civic works was introduced in February 2023 after the dissolution of the BMC’s elected body. Fund approvals are handled by Mumbai’s Guardian Ministers. BJP leader Ashish Shelar said allocations followed norms and denied bias, while Opposition leaders said their proposals were repeatedly ignored.
Urban policy experts said such funding patterns influence electoral narratives, as visible infrastructure upgrades strengthen political advantage. BMC officials maintained that basic services continue citywide, while discretionary funds focus on amenity upgrades.