Maximum City, Maximum Politics: Identity Dominates Mumbai Polls
As campaigning ends for the high-voltage BMC and other municipal elections in Maharashtra, Mumbai once again finds itself at the centre of a charged political debate over identity and belonging. While the city's streets reflect its plural, multicultural character-celebrating festivals like Lohri, Pongal and Ugadi-the political narrative has framed the election as a battle over who truly represents the "Mumbaiker" and the "Marathi Manus." With rhetoric overshadowing civic issues, the contest has turned into a referendum on identity in India's most diverse metropolis.
