New Year was welcomed with rain in Maharashtra’s capital Mumbai. On the very first day of the year (Thursday, January 1), the weather suddenly changed and unseasonal rain increased the cold. Due to rain, pollution in Mumbai has reduced, the weather has also become pleasant but now one is feeling cold.

Cold winds along with rain brought a significant drop in the temperature. At present, the situation is that it is raining intermittently all over Mumbai. The Meteorological Department has informed that due to increase in moisture in the Arabian Sea and western disturbance, light to moderate rain is occurring in Mumbai and suburban areas. However, there is a possibility that the weather will clear up within the next few hours.

The weather is expected to remain normal on the night of Thursday, January 1, but light showers may continue at some places.

Four people have died in a BEST bus accident in Bhandup, Mumbai on Monday (29 December) night, while 10 others were seriously injured. What has emerged so far in the investigation is surprising. It is being told that many people were standing in line to catch the bus at the bus stand, when the driver lost control while taking reverse and the bus went on hitting many passengers standing behind.

Big and painful information has come to light regarding the BEST bus accident on Station Road, Bhandup West. According to preliminary investigation, the bus hit the passengers while taking reverse, causing chaos at the spot.

Compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the deceased

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wrote in X Post, “The death of 4 people in a fatal accident near Bhandup railway station in Mumbai is a very sad incident. I pay my heartfelt tribute to them. 9 people have been injured in this incident, and I pray to God for their speedy recovery. The state government will provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased.”

According to the report of news agency PTI, the accident happened around 10.00 pm on Monday night, but Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) did not confirm it till an hour later.

Three women among the dead

The officer has informed that three women are among the dead. The bus driver has been detained and a case has been registered against him and further investigation is being done.

BEST officials did not give any statement

Comments were sought from Public Relations Officer Sucheta Utale and General Manager Sonia Sethi of BEST, a public sector undertaking providing bus services, but no response was received.

Varsha Gaikwad demanded investigation

Mumbai Congress President and Lok Sabha MP Varsha Gaikwad has demanded an investigation into this accident. He said, “This is extremely sad. Faulty buses, uneducated drivers and an administration reluctant to invest in improving BEST are putting many lives at risk every day. We demand a thorough investigation into this incident.”

Injured are admitted in different hospitals

Zone-7 DCP Hemraj Rajput has informed that till now a total of 4 people have been confirmed dead in the accident, while 10 people are injured. The injured have been admitted to different hospitals for treatment.

An unidentified woman (aged about 31 years) was brought dead to Rajawadi Hospital. At the same time, the condition of Prashant Lad (51 years, male) is said to be critical. Apart from this, 3 people were brought dead to MT Aggarwal Hospital and 9 people are injured.

BEST officials reached the spot

As soon as information about the incident was received, Mumbai Fire Brigade, Mumbai Police, BEST officials and 108 ambulances reached the spot. Relief and rescue work was started immediately. At present, detailed information in the case of the deceased is awaited.

On Monday (29 December) night in Bhandup, Mumbai, BEST bus hit many people while reversing. 4 people have died in this accident. The dead include three women and one man. 10 people are injured in this accident. The injured were taken to the hospital. Police and administration officials are present on the spot. At the same time, the driver was taken into custody.

According to the information, while reversing a BEST bus near Station Road in Bhandup (West), 14 passengers were hit, in which 4 lost their lives. The incident was reported to the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) control room today (29 December) at around 10.05 pm.

Mumbai Fire Brigade, policemen, BEST staff at the spot

According to initial information, the bus allegedly hit the people standing behind while it was being reversed. The exact reasons for the incident are being ascertained. Emergency response teams including Mumbai Fire Brigade, policemen, BEST staff and 108 ambulance services were immediately sent to the spot.

4 people died in the accident- DCP

While giving information, Zone-7 DCP Hemraj Rajput said that till now a total of 4 people have been confirmed dead in the accident, while 10 people are injured. The injured were admitted to different hospitals for treatment. It is being told that an unknown woman (aged about 31 years) was brought dead to Rajawadi Hospital. Prashant Lad (51 years old, male) has also been admitted to the same hospital, whose condition is said to be critical.

Investigation into the cause of the accident continues

Whereas, M.T. Three people were brought dead to Aggarwal Hospital. 9 people injured in the accident are being treated here. As soon as information about the incident was received, relief and rescue work was immediately started by the administration.

Mumbai Police has launched the biggest war till date against the black drug trade in the year 2025. Between January 1 and December 21, 2025, the police have broken the back of smugglers by seizing drugs worth more than Rs 814 crore 17 lakh. A total of 7,372 cases were registered and 6,628 accused were arrested during this operation.

DCP Navnath Dhawale of Anti Narcotics Cell of Mumbai Police spoke to ABP News and said that to ensure that drugs are not used in the party on 31st December this year, a special team is being formed which will work on the basis of every input and will take care that drugs are not consumed.

Raid in 6 factories

The promptness of the police can be gauged from the fact that this year, along with smuggling, drug manufacturing units have also been directly attacked. Police raided 6 factories manufacturing narcotics and seized goods worth about Rs 597 crore from there.

used these codewords

To avoid getting caught in the world of drugs, smugglers are now using strange code words. Heroin is now being called ‘Potla’ among smugglers, while the most sought after MD (Mephedrone) is called by names like ‘Chachi’, ‘Madhuri’, ‘Pills’ and ‘Bakra’.

By decoding these code words, the police have seized more than 275 kg of MD this year. Also, giving a strong message against drug addiction, the police has completely destroyed the old stock (2,560 kg drugs and 40,221 codeine bottles) worth Rs 136 crore.

MCOCA imposed on two big gangs

Mumbai Police has also set new records on the legal action front. Action has been taken against two big drug gangs involved in organized crime under the amended MCOCA (MCOC) Act, which is considered to be the first such historic action in Maharashtra. Apart from this, two vicious criminals have been detained in jail for one year under the PIT NDPS Act.

The scope of police investigation was not limited to the country only, four big international smugglers Salim Suhail Sheikh, Tahir Dola, Mustafa Mohammad Kubawala and Salman Sheikh alias Shera (Batlawala), who were running drug factories in India from abroad, were extradited to Mumbai and arrested.

This year’s total seizure includes 10.949 kg cocaine (₹84.40 crore), 1340 kg ganja (₹44.69 crore) and 3.712 kg heroin (₹11.51 crore). Apart from this, the campaign against people addicted to drugs also continued, under which 5,242 people were arrested in 6,276 cases of consumption. These all-round actions of Mumbai Police have not only stopped the supply at the local level, but have also exposed the masterminds sitting at the international level.

Before the BMC elections in Mumbai, Sharad Pawar’s party has suffered a big setback. Here, veteran woman leader of NCP (SP) Rakhi Jadhav joined BJP on Monday (29 December). He took this decision at a time when BMC elections are round the corner.

Who is Rakhi Jadhav?

Rakhi Jadhav is the Mumbai District President of Sharad Pawar Group. Who was single-handedly leading the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) in Mumbai for the last several years and had played an important role in the ticket distribution talks of Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

Rakhi Jadhav’s full name is Rakhi Jadhav Harishchandra. He won the Ghatkopar councilor election in the year 2007. After this she was elected leader of the house in Mumbai BMC. Rakhi Jadhav contested the 2024 assembly elections from Ghatkopar East on NCP Sharad Pawar ticket. Rakhi Jadhav has completed education till 10th class.

How rich is Rakhi Jadhav?

Rakhi Jadhav has total assets worth Rs 9.7 crore. Out of this, there is movable property worth Rs 72 lakh and immovable property worth Rs 9 crore. According to the affidavit filed in the 2024 elections, he has a debt of Rs 23.7 lakh. Rakhi is a hotel owner by profession. His own income is Rs 23.3 lakh.

Rakhi Jadhav left Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar Group has formed an alliance with the Thackeray brothers in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Elections (BMC Election 2026). However, they got only 5 to 10 seats. Because of this, Rakhi Jadhav, who is leading Sharad Pawar Group in Mumbai, is facing questions from workers and officials.

Rakhi Jadhav was very upset due to getting so few seats. It is being said that due to this resentment Rakhi Jadhav joined BJP. Rakhi Jadhav will join BJP only on Monday (29 December). It is being speculated that he will get nomination from his ward in Ghatkopar. However, Rakhi Jadhav’s departure is a big blow for Sharad Pawar Group.

Rakhi was fighting alone for NCP in Mumbai

Rakhi Jadhav was fighting alone for the NCP stronghold in Mumbai for the last several years. NCP is not very strong in Mumbai. Therefore, Rakhi Jadhav played an important role in building NCP wherever possible in Mumbai, meeting workers and keeping them with the party. However, she was very angry with the fact that Sharad Pawar Group got only 5 to 10 seats in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections.

According to sources, when he was asked about this, his seniors had instructed him to send interested candidates to Ajit Pawar Group. The party high command asked him to directly join Ajit Pawar’s NCP and contest the elections so that the workers do not get divided. After candidates received a call from the party office regarding this, many senior officials joined NCP.

Former corporator Dhananjay Pisal, Hindi speaking cell chief Manish Dubey, Gujarati section Mumbai chairperson Yaminiben Panchal, Jitendra Awhad’s loyal worker Nitin Deshmukh, general secretary Ashok Panchal have joined Ajit Pawar’s NCP. On Monday (December 29) also, many interested candidates of Sharad Pawar Group will join Ajit Pawar’s party. Rakhi Jadhav was very upset about all these things. That is why it is being said that he has decided to join BJP.

Ajit Pawar’s party NCP has released the first list of candidates for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. The party has announced the names of 37 candidates in this. Let us tell you that in this election, on one hand, Shiv Sena and BJP are contesting together, while on the other hand, Ajit Pawar’s party is contesting separately.

In the list of 37 candidates released by NCP for BMC elections, Manish Dubey has been given ticket from Ward No. 3. Vilas Dagdu Ghule has been made the candidate from Ward 40. Cyril Peter D’Souza has been given ticket from Ward 48. Ajay Dutta Vichare has been made the candidate from Ward 57.

To whom did NCP give ticket from which ward?

Apart from this, NCP of Ajit Pawar faction has fielded Ahmed Khan from Ward 62. Hadiya Faisal Qureshi has been made the candidate from Ward 64. Baban Ramchandra Madane has got the ticket from Ward 76. Mamta Dharmendra Thakur has been given a chance from Ward 77. Subhash Janardan Patade has been made the candidate from Ward 86. Apart from this, tickets have been given to Yusuf Abubakar Memon from Ward 92, Dr. Sachin Tambe from Ward 93, Amit Ankush Patil from Ward 95, Ayesha Shams Khan from Ward 96, Dhananjay (Dada) Pisal from Ward 111.

Along with this, Sajju Malik from Ward 109, Pratiksha Raju Ghuge from Ward 126, Shobha Ratnakar Jadhav from Ward 113, Nagaratna Sandeep Bankar from Ward 139, Harishchandra Babaling Jangam from Ward 125, Chandni Ajay Srivastava from Ward 142, Akshay Mohan Pawar from Ward 135, Dilip Harishchandra from Ward 144. Patil, Jyoti Devidas Sadawaten from Ward 140, Ankita Sandeep Dravey from Ward 147, Ku. Rachna Ravindra Gavas, NCP has made Laxman Shrirang Gaikwad its candidate from Ward 152.

When will the elections be held for BMC?

NCP’s Maharashtra unit president Sunil Tatkare had said on Saturday (December 27) that meetings are going on with everyone for the last three days and all the information regarding this has been informed to Ajit Pawar. The party can contest elections on approximately 100 seats. Elections are to be held on a total of 227 seats in BMC. Elections for 29 municipal corporations of Maharashtra including Mumbai’s BMC will be held on January 15. The results will be declared on January 16.

Before the municipal elections including BMC in Maharashtra, the alliance between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray has created a new stir in the politics of the state. Now the reaction of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde has also come out regarding this alliance. He has said that this alliance has been made not for the people of Mumbai but for the chair.

Ahead of the elections, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde said, “Mahayuti is strong and we have a clear agenda of development, but today some people have come together just for the agenda of the chair. They have nothing to do with Mumbaikars.”

Congress- Uddhav group workers join Shiv Sena

In fact, on Wednesday (December 24), hundreds of Shiv Sena UBT and Congress officials and workers from Nashik and Kolhapur districts joined Shiv Sena in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Shinde. On this occasion, Eknath Shinde, while targeting the Uddhav Thackeray group, said that some alliances are in the interest of the public and the state, while some are done for selfishness, power and survival. No matter who has alliance with anyone, Mahayuti is strong in Maharashtra.

‘The public showed them their place’

He further said, “Mahayuti has won both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. In the city councils, Shiv Sena alone has elected the maximum number of city presidents as compared to the three parties of Mahavikas Aghadi. The people of Maharashtra have shown their place in three and a half years to those who left Balasaheb’s ideas.”

‘Mumbai is considered a hen that lays golden eggs’

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde also said, “Till now, Mumbai was considered a hen that lays golden eggs. Earlier they kept eating the eggs and now they have come together to slaughter the hen. In today’s press conference, they did not say even a word on the development of Mumbai. Mahayuti has an agenda of development, whereas they have an agenda of power and chair. They have gathered to get power and save the chair.”

Big news is coming from Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra. A shocking incident was carried out in a local train running between Panvel and Khandeshwar railway station. Here an 18 year old college girl was pushed down from a moving local train after an argument.

The accused in this incident is Akhtar Nawaz, who had entered the ladies coach of the train. The girl was seriously injured. The incident took place around 8.00 am in the morning, when the girl was traveling in the ladies compartment of a local train going to CSMT.

There was an argument over boarding the women’s coach

As soon as the local train departed, 50-year-old Sheikh Akhtar Nawaz boarded the ladies compartment. When the women asked him to get down, he started arguing. As the argument escalated, the accused angrily pushed a girl from behind. Due to this blow she fell straight on the track.

The girl called her father in injured condition

The girl has suffered serious injuries on her head, waist and hands and legs. After the incident, he called his father and informed him about his injury. He was immediately admitted to the hospital, where at present his condition is said to be stable.

The accused in the incident, Akhtar Nawaz, was trying to escape after getting down at Khandeshwar station, when alert passengers caught him and handed him over to the railway police.

Accused Akhtar Nawaz on three days police remand

Panvel Railway Police has registered a case against the accused and the court has sent him to police custody for three days. According to the information given by Senior Police Inspector Vijay Tayde, the accused Sheikh Akhtar Nawaz lives alone and has no relatives. He keeps roaming. Initial investigation shows that his mental balance is disturbed. It is feared that due to this reason he might have committed this dreadful incident.

The dates for BMC elections have been announced by the State Election Commission on Monday (15 December). Elections for 29 municipal corporations of Maharashtra will be held on January 15. Whose results will come on 16th January. Mahayuti has already started its preparations for this election. But the matter of Mahavikas Aghadi has not been settled yet. This time Congress is keeping distance from the Thackeray brothers. Mahavikas Aghadi seems to be in trouble regarding this.

Due to the increased closeness between the Thackeray brothers in recent times, the leaders of Shiv Sena’s Uddhav faction are now increasing their closeness with MNS only regarding the BMC elections. Somewhere, bypassing Congress, they are forming an alliance with MNS. Congress told that their preparations are complete. Among these 29 municipal corporations, political parties especially have stakes on TMC of Thane, PMC of Pune and the richest municipal corporation of Mumbai, BMC.

Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction showed its attitude to Congress

The picture of Mahavikas Aghadi is now visible only in name. Uddhav Thackeray’s army has now started showing its attitude towards the ally Congress. Sanjay Raut was continuously saying that we will talk to the high command regarding BMC elections. Now he says that the Delhi Congress high command has given the decision to the local Congress, the decision is theirs.

Don’t know about Mahavikas Aghadi but all the parties have started their respective meetings and preparations. Rounds of meetings are going on in Mumbai Congress. There are intense discussions that Congress is planning to contest the BMC elections alone.

In such a situation, on going with AIMIM and the indifference of Uddhav’s army, Maharashtra Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar, while talking to ABP News, said that there will be no BMC elections in Mumbai but in the remaining municipal elections, Shiv Sena will contest the elections along with UBT and MNS. That means we are not together in BMC elections but are together in other elections.

Sharad Pawar’s party cleared the picture

In such a situation, Sharad Pawar’s NCP, which is isolated, has avoided any controversy and has said that in this municipal election, the Nationalist Congress Party will contest elections everywhere in alliance with Mahavikas Aghadi.

In such a situation, one thing is clear from the statement of Mahavikas Aghadi that alliances are being used everywhere only after seeing their own benefit. The slogan of Mahavikas Aghadi is ‘We are together’ where there is loss and where there is need to be alone and dependent on others.

The dates of municipal elections in Maharashtra have been announced. State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said that the code of conduct is being implemented in 29 municipal corporations from today (December 15). There is a plan to hold local body elections before January 31. Elections for all 29 municipalities including BMC will be held on January 15. The results will come on January 16. There will be 10 thousand 111 polling stations. Will use the list of July 1, 2025.

Candidates can file nomination for BMC elections from 23rd December to 30th December. Withdrawal of candidature can be taken till 2 January 2026. Election symbols can be distributed till January 3, 2026.

Activities of political parties intensify regarding BMC elections

The tenure of 27 municipal corporations in Maharashtra has ended. These elections are pending since 2022. These elections were to be held in the year 2022 itself but there was a lot of delay in it due to the issues of ward delimitation and reservation. The Supreme Court had issued instructions to complete the local body elections by January 31, 2026. After the announcement of elections, the political activities of all the political parties have intensified. Everyone has become more active in making their own strategies.

The country’s richest municipal corporation

BMC elections have been considered very important in the politics of the state. This affects the equations of state as well as national politics. BMC is the richest municipal corporation in the country. Its annual budget is quite big. In such a situation, all the political parties of the state have come together to exert their full strength to gain control over it. 227 corporators are elected in BMC.

Who will get how many seats in the 2017 elections?

In the 2017 BMC elections in Maharashtra, BJP had won 82 seats. Whereas 84 councilors of undivided Shiv Sena had won. Whereas Congress won 31 seats and NCP won 9 seats. The post of Mayor had gone to the undivided Shiv Sena.

However, now the entire political equation of the state has changed. Along with Shiv Sena, NCP is also divided into two groups. There are two alliances in the state, Mahayuti and Mahavikas Aghadi. Currently, there is a Mahayuti government in the state under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis. In such a situation, now everyone’s eyes are especially on BMC elections.