Asia’s richest civic body decides its future today.
Table of Contents
Election Overview
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.