India, Jan. 2 -- The battle for control over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is an epic one for the two Shiv Sena camps - one led by Uddhav Thackeray, son of the party's founder Bal Thackeray, and the other led by Eknath Shinde, who split the party and closed ranks with the BJP in 2022.

For nearly three decades, the BMC and its powerful committees have enabled the Shiv Sena to influence Mumbai's development agenda. Now, as elections approach, the ballot will determine the natural inheritor of the Sena's civic legacy in Mumbai.

Against this backdrop, the presence of experienced former corporators is important beyond mere numbers. They bring with them institutional memory and lend heft to the parties they represent.

Let's ta...