Mumbai: Sahar Shaikh, the youngest corporator elected on an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) ticket, has drawn widespread attention following the results of the 2026 Mumbra-Thane Municipal Corporation elections.
Sahar Shaikh victory is being seen as a major political upset in Mumbra-Kalwa, long regarded as a bastion of senior NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader and former Maharashtra minister Jitendra Awhad.
A hijab-wearing social worker, Sahar Shaikh has been active in public life for nearly eight years, engaging with residents across communities in Mumbra.
She is the daughter of Yunus Shaikh, a veteran local leader who worked closely with Awhad for nearly three decades and was once considered among his trusted aides.
AIMIM Surge in Mumbra-Kalwa
The 2026 civic polls marked a clear shift in Mumbra’s political landscape. While the Mumbra-Kalwa region has historically sent NCP corporators to the Thane Municipal Corporation, this time AIMIM emerged dominant, winning six seats from the constituency up from just two seats in the 2017 elections.
Notably, AIMIM swept Ward No. 30, securing all four seats from the ward. Sahar Shaikh was among the winning candidates and delivered a decisive victory.
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She secured 12,964 votes, defeating Rumana Shaikh of NCP (Sharad Pawar), who polled 7,665 votes, and Farha Siddiqui of NCP (Ajit Pawar), who received 6,057 votes. Candidates from the Samajwadi Party and the Congress also contested the seat.
Political Breakthrough
Sahar Shaikh’s political rise followed a public fallout between her father Yunus Shaikh and Jitendra Awhad ahead of the elections. Yunus Shaikh claimed that Awhad had assured a party ticket to his daughter but delayed the decision until the final day of nominations.
Realising that the ticket would not be forthcoming, Yunus Shaikh explored other political options. While the Samajwadi Party declined, both the Congress and AIMIM offered tickets. He ultimately chose AIMIM, a move that proved decisive.
The campaign period saw sharp exchanges between the two camps, with Sahar and her father openly accusing Awhad of betrayal. The contest soon turned into a direct political face-off, culminating in AIMIM’s clean sweep in Ward No. 30.
Following her win, Sahar Shaikh, in her victory speech, was heard saying “Kaisa haraya…”, a remark widely interpreted as a pointed jab at her former political mentor.
A New Political Face
At just 22 years old, Sahar Shaikh is a commerce graduate and is fluent in English, Hindi, Marathi, and Urdu. Supporters describe her as articulate and politically mature beyond her years.
Sahar Shaikh father, Yunus Shaikh, celebrated the victory with a poetic remark that quickly went viral:
“Haathi, ghode, talware, fauj to teri saari thi
Par zanjeer mein jakdi shahzadi meri akeli sab pe bhaari thi.”
Eyes on the Assembly Polls
With AIMIM supporters buoyed by the civic poll results, attention has already shifted to the next Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Party workers and local leaders have begun projecting Sahar Shaikh as a potential future contender for the Mumbra-Kalwa Assembly seat held by Jitendra Awhad since 2009.
Her victory is being widely viewed as a turning point in Mumbra’s politics and a sign of AIMIM’s growing influence in the region.
