The richest municipal corporation in India allocated more than 99% of funds to constituencies led by the ruling party over the past three years. At least 13 Maharashtra MLAs received zero funds from the Rs 1,490.66 crore sanctioned by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for civic development. Records showed that only one Opposition leader received Rs 13.74 crore during this time. The shocking imbalance came to light mere days ahead of civic body polls in Mumbai — as the BJP-led Mahayuti hopes to replicate its dominating performance in local elections across the rest of Maharashtra.
According to an Indian Express investigation, the BMC sanctioned more than Rs 1,490.66 crore for civic development between February 2023 and October 2025. The money was intended for various infrastructural upgrades including road repairs, drainage upgrades, health facilities and neighbourhood beautification. Data obtained under the Right To Information Act revealed that Rs 1,476.92 crore had gone to areas under MLAs, MLCs and MPs from the ruling alliance. Congress legislator Amin Patel (who represents Mumbadevi and its sizable population of minorities) was the sole Opposition lawmaker to be included — getting 0.9% of the allocated funds.
BMC is the richest municipal corporation of India with an annual budget of more than Rs 74,000 crore. It typically allocates developmental funds through MLAs and often expands its ambit to include MLCs and MPs — depending on policy decisions and governance needs. Lawmakers under BMC jurisdiction included 21 Mahayuti MLAs and 15 from Opposition leaders between February 2023 and November 2024. The Assembly elections saw the ruling coalition wrest another seat away from the Opposition. Meanwhile the MVA has a slight edge in Parliament with four out of six MPs.
Division of BMC funds
RTI data obtained by The Indian Express reveals that BJP lawmakers received the vast majority of funds (Rs 1076.7 crore) while the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde received Rs 372.7 crore. The current fiscal year has seen Rs 360 crore disbursed to ruling party legislators but nothing allocated to Opposition politicians.
The three top recipients were all BJP MLAs — garnering a collective Rs 203.53 crores since FY24. Ram Kadam of Ghatkopar West led the list with Rs 70 crore allocated in civic funds (Rs 35 crore in FY24, Rs 17.5 crore in FY25 and Rs 17.5 crore in FY26). Charkop representative Yogesh Sagar came next with Rs 67.47 crore, while party colleague Atul Bhatkhalkar of Kandivali East followed with Rs 66.06 crore.
According to the Indian Express report, the figures also included funds granted to MLCs within Mumbai who did not represent any constituency. But none of the five Opposition MLCs were allotted money — with at least two of them telling the publication that they had repeatedly applied. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir and NCP (SP) politician Sunil Shinde said their requests were ignored. BJP also topped this list with Pravin Darekar securing Rs 33 crore: Rs 17.5 crore each in FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26.
Timing of funds
The report also flagged the timing of fund allocations — with hundreds of crores released to Mahayuti leaders ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. RTI records cited by Indian Express showed more than Rs 467 crore was released to ruling-party incumbents but almost all Opposition legislators received zero funds. 23 BJP and Shiv Sena MLAs received Rs 357.3 crore in civic funds between August and September 2024 — weeks before the code of conduct was imposed on October 15. The only Opposition MLA to receive a token allocation was once again Amin Patel of the Congress with Rs 3.92 crore.
How was this possible and who runs the BMC?
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has been operating without elected corporators for nearly three years now — kept under a state-appointed administrator since March 2022. A policy introduced in February 2023 also gave MLAs and MPs temporary authority to propose development works for the 227 wards. The approval process was also shifted to the Guardian Ministers of Mumbai — a single-point authority intended to hasten decisions and keep civic projects moving. It would only reach the BMC commissioner for approval after being screened.
The Mumbai Guardian Ministers have been Shiv Sena’s Deepak Kesarkar (City), BJP’s Mangal Prabhat Lodha (Suburban) from 2023-24. It became Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (City) and BJP leader Ashish Shelar (Suburban) from January this year.
