BMC Election 2026 : Impact of Political Campaign: Tremendous Increase in Demand for Biryani, Samosas, and Vada Pav in Mumbai
In the backdrop of the 2026 Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, the political atmosphere in Mumbai has heated up significantly. As Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, draws the attention of the entire state, all major political parties have accelerated their election preparations. BJP, Shiv Sena, Congress, and other parties have activated their campaign machinery and are making efforts to reach the voters. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has also made preparations on a war footing to conduct the elections peacefully and transparently.
A total of 2,516 candidates have entered the fray for the 227 wards of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Voting will take place on January 15, 2026, and counting will be completed on January 16. In the 2017 election, 84 Shiv Sena, 82 BJP, and 31 Congress corporators were elected. However, this time the political equations have changed, and each party is making strong efforts to hoist its flag over the corporation.
The direct impact of election campaigning is also visible on Mumbai's food business. Due to the hustle and bustle of campaigning, the sales of vada pav, samosas, pulao, and biryani have increased by as much as 20 to 25 percent. As large-scale arrangements for snacks and meals are being made for candidates and their supporters, there is a huge demand in hotels and eateries. In many places, hotel owners have to appoint additional staff.
Saroj Gupta, the head of Bhavani Vada-Pav Center in Sakinaka, said that they are currently receiving about 20% more orders than usual. Due to the increased parcel orders, two additional employees have had to be hired. According to a biryani vendor in Andheri, they are receiving orders for 400 biryani packets daily for the next week. Along with this, there has also been a significant increase in the sale of tea and snacks.
According to members of the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR), currently, small hotels are benefiting more due to foot marches and door-to-door campaigns. In the coming times, if campaign meetings and events at party offices increase, the business of large hotels is also likely to gain momentum. Overall, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation election has not only accelerated politics but also significantly boosted the city's economy.