Vote counting for Maharashtra’s civic body elections began at 10 AM today across 29 municipal corporations, including the high-profile Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The polls were held yesterday for 2,869 seats across 893 wards, with nearly 3.48 crore eligible voters.
Voter turnout remained between 46–50%, noticeably lower than the 2017 civic polls.
Key Political Contestants
The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance — comprising BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP — fought aggressively.
BJP contested 136 BMC wards
Shinde-led Shiv Sena fought in 89 wards
Remaining seats saw friendly contests
The opposition featured Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) in 164 wards, MNS in 52 wards, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) in 12 wards.
Nearly 1,700 candidates contested in Mumbai alone.
Polling Day Issues
Voting was not without controversy. Several areas reported violence, bogus voting allegations, cash distribution claims,
and EVM glitches.
A major controversy erupted after claims that the indelible ink could be erased using sanitizer.
The State Election Commission ordered a probe and banned marker pens for upcoming polls, including
Zilla Parishad elections scheduled on February 5.
Pre-Poll Gains
Even before counting began, the Mahayuti alliance gained confidence after securing 64 unopposed seats:
BJP: 43–44 seats
Shinde Sena: 19–22 seats
NCP: 2 seats
These gains followed the alliance’s strong performance in municipal council elections last month and their 2024 Maharashtra assembly sweep.
Stakes & Political Impact
The BMC — Asia’s richest civic body — requires 114 seats for a majority in its 227-member house.
This election is seen as a prestige battle and a test of political strength
between the Mahayuti alliance and the Thackeray-led opposition,
ahead of future assembly elections in Maharashtra.
Latest Trends
Early live trends indicate the BJP–Shinde Sena alliance
leading in 12+ wards. Counting across 23 centers in Mumbai may take longer due to
multi-member wards outside the BMC.
Final results are expected to play a decisive role in shaping Maharashtra’s political direction in the coming months.
