Akola, January 7: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi alleged the existence of a "water tanker mafia" while campaigning for the 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and appealed to voters to elect his party's candidates, promising strict action against those responsible if AIMIM comes to power. Addressing a public gathering on Sunday in Akola, Owaisi said that residents are being forced to depend on private water tankers even for drinking water.

"Here, private water tankers are used for drinking water. Today, these private tankers have become a mafia. Elect our candidates, and we will cut off the water supply to the homes of those who have deprived you of water and ensure that water reaches your homes... I appeal to all of you to vote for the kite symbol on January 15th," he said. Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the upcoming BMC elections will be "life-changing" for Mumbai and its people. BMC Elections 2026: Congress Leader Nana Patole Alleges Pressure Tactics, Accuses BJP of Bringing ‘Politics of Thuggery’ to Maharashtra.

While addressing a gathering at the NSCI Dome in Worli, he criticised the opposition, saying that the Mahayuti will "teach a lesson" to those who care only about their self-interest. "We launched our BMC election campaign by breaking a coconut. This election will be a life-changing one for the people of Mumbai and for Mumbai itself. We have to teach a lesson to those who only care about their self-interest," he said. BMC Elections 2026: Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS Make Slew of Promises Ahead of Civic Polls; Aditya Thackeray Assures New Medical Colleges, Housing for Mumbai Residents.

Fadnavis further slammed the opposition parties for prioritising personal and political interests over public welfare. "There are people who only care about their own self-interest. These people (opposition) are all talk and no action, but now the public will elect those who fulfil their promises, that is, the Mahayuti alliance," he said. Polling for 29 municipal corporation elections across the state, including Mumbai, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad, will be held on January 15, with vote counting scheduled for January 16.

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