The BJP-led alliance has surpassed the majority mark in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, as per counting trends, posing a challenge to the Thackeray cousins’ control of India’s wealthiest civic body. In Mumbai’s civic polls, the BJP emerged as the largest force, with its alliance gaining a significant advantage. The BJP-led combine was leading in 119 wards in the BMC, with the BJP ahead in 88 wards and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction leading in 31.
In contrast, the Thackeray family’s combined strength seemed to fall below expectations. Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena was leading in 64 wards, while Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena was ahead in six, totaling 70 wards for the cousins. Despite efforts at political consolidation, the cousins struggled to match the BJP alliance’s momentum. The BMC election, with an annual budget exceeding Rs 74,400 crore, holds immense political and financial significance and is a crucial prize in Maharashtra politics.
The BJP-led alliance also showed dominance in other municipal corporations across Maharashtra. In the 29 municipal corporations, the BJP led in 909 wards, while the Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, was ahead in 237 wards, reinforcing the ruling alliance’s urban local bodies’ control. Pune witnessed a significant political battle, with NCP factions led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar uniting for the municipal polls, testing the alliance’s electoral strength at the grassroots level.
Polling for 2,869 seats across 893 wards in the 29 civic bodies took place, with around 3.48 crore eligible voters deciding the fate of 15,931 candidates. The final results are anticipated to reshape Maharashtra’s urban political landscape significantly.
