BJP takes majority control in Mumbai's bus cooperative election

Politics Politics of India

Posted by AI on 2025-08-20 20:00:03 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-20 21:44:11

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The Mumbai BJP has wrested control of the city's biggest cooperative bank, a significant political and economic victory in the financial hub that could prove pivotal in this year's civic polls.

The BJP's surprise victory in the Mumbai BEST Credit Society elections could be the precursor to bigger political gains for the party in the nation's financial capital. The election results, announced Tuesday, ended the dominance of the Shiiv Sena (UBT) in the influential cooperative bank that serves the city's public bus agency.

The BJP's panel won in seven of the 21 seats, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) bagged six. The remaining eight seats were taken by candidates not affiliated with either party.

The Mumbai BJP swiftly capitalized on the result, with Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar calling it a "historic victory" and a "big responsibility."

"This is the beginning of a change in Mumbai, and I am confident that we will succeed in taking Mumbai's prominence to greater heights," Pednekar said.

The BEST, or Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport, is the city's principal bus operator and has a subscriber base of over 17,000 members, making the credit society election significant not just politically but economically as well.

The elections were held after a nine-year gap, with the Shiv Sena (UBT) retaining control in the previous election.

The BJP's Pednekar took advantage of the opportunity to remind voters of the recent decision by the Shiv Sena (UBT) to enter into an alliance with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the upcoming municipal elections.

"People have seen that the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have joined hands to mislead the people of Mumbai. Now, we want to ask them what development activities they have carried out in Mumbai," said Pednekar.

The BEST credit society result is a sign that the BJP's political momentum in Mumbai is far from over, even as the party continues to revel in the aftermath of key victories in other cities like Ahmedabad and Surat.

Only time will tell if the BJP's success in the BEST Credit Society will translate into similar results in the Mumbai municipal elections.

(The Washington Post)

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