The Congress and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) have formally announced an electoral alliance for the upcoming Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, marking an important shift in Maharashtra’s political dynamics. The announcement was made on Sunday at the Congress headquarters, Tilak Bhavan, coinciding with the party’s foundation day celebrations. Under the agreement, the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi will contest 62 seats in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, while both parties have mutually decided to leave alliance-related decisions in the remaining 28 municipal corporations to their respective local leaderships.
The alliance was formally unveiled by Congress state president Harshvardhan Sapkal and VBA state vice-president Dr Dhairyawardhan Pundkar during a joint press conference. The event was attended by several senior leaders, including AICC secretary Sachin Sawant and Vanchit leader Chetan Ahire, reflecting the importance both parties are placing on the understanding. The announcement signals a coordinated attempt to consolidate opposition forces ahead of crucial civic elections in Maharashtra.
Describing the development as a major political moment, Sapkal said the alliance marked the beginning of a “new era” in state politics. He stressed that the partnership was not driven by electoral arithmetic but by shared principles and ideological alignment. According to him, the Congress and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi naturally complement each other, as both believe in upholding constitutional values and working toward an inclusive vision of India rooted in equality, social justice and fraternity.
Sapkal emphasised that the ideological foundations of both parties are similar, particularly in their commitment to constitutionalism and social harmony. He said the alliance was built on common ground, with both parties refusing to compromise on values such as equality and brotherhood. He also recalled that the two sides had earlier worked together during the 1998 and 1999 elections, adding that this renewed partnership comes after a gap of more than two decades.
Reflecting on the negotiations that led to the alliance, Sapkal noted that discussions took time but ultimately resulted in a meaningful understanding. He reiterated that the alliance was not about seat-sharing alone but about bringing together like-minded forces with a shared political vision. According to him, the coming together of the two parties represents a convergence of ideas rather than a tactical arrangement.
VBA state vice-president Dr Dhairyawardhan Pundkar said the alliance was driven by a common objective of countering the BJP, which he accused of undermining the country’s democratic and constitutional fabric. He credited Harshvardhan Sapkal for taking the initiative and maintaining a constructive approach throughout the talks. Pundkar confirmed that the VBA would contest 62 seats in the Mumbai civic body elections as part of the agreement.
He added that the decision was taken after careful deliberation and reflected a collective desire to build a stronger opposition platform. According to him, the alliance was aimed at offering voters an alternative rooted in social justice and constitutional values, rather than merely electoral convenience.
VBA state vice-president Siddharth Mokale acknowledged that seat-sharing discussions are rarely completely satisfactory for all sides but said the negotiations had been positive and pragmatic. He noted that both parties approached the talks with mutual respect and a willingness to compromise in the larger interest. Mokale also clarified that while the Mumbai Municipal Corporation alliance had been finalised, decisions regarding other municipal corporations would be taken locally by party leaders based on ground realities.
He concluded by stating that the alliance announcement marked the beginning of coordinated political action between the Congress and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, with local leadership empowered to take forward the understanding in other regions of the state.
