Early trends from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on Friday morning placed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally, the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, in a strong position. Vote counting began at 10 am, and initial reports indicated the ruling Mahayuti alliance was ahead in several key wards.
Mumbai Trends Show Alliance Dominance
Television channels reported the BJP leading in 16 of Mumbai's 227 wards, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena was ahead in 10. By 11 am, preliminary data suggested the BJP-Shiv Sena Mahayuti alliance was leading in approximately 75 wards across the city. ANI analysis showed the BJP leading in 49 seats and the Shiv Sena in 26.
The BJP contested 135 wards and was batting at a strike rate of 36%. Shinde's Sena contested 90 wards with a strike rate of 29%. These figures highlight the alliance's early advantage in India's richest civic body.
Thackeray Cousins Face Challenges
The reunited Thackeray cousins appeared to be trailing the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Mumbai. Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) was reportedly leading in 10 wards. Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) was ahead in six wards.
Regional Performance Across Maharashtra
In Thane, considered a stronghold of Eknath Shinde, his party was leading in nine of 131 wards. The BJP followed closely, leading in six wards according to early trends.
Pune saw the BJP outperforming its ally, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The BJP was leading in 32 of 165 wards, while the NCP, led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, was ahead in 14.
Exit Polls Predict Sweeping Victory
Exit polls had predicted a sweeping victory for the ruling Mahayuti alliance across the 29 municipal corporations that went to polls on Thursday. These elections were held after a long gap, with terms expiring between 2020 and 2023.
Lower Turnout in Mumbai
Mumbai recorded a voter turnout of 52.94%, down from 55.53% in the 2017 civic elections. Officials noted this decline despite the high political stakes involved.
Historic Context of BMC Elections
The BMC elections occurred after a four-year delay. They mark the first polls since the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena. The undivided party had controlled India's richest civic body for 25 years, from 1997 to 2022. The BMC operates with an annual budget exceeding ₹74,400 crore.
Statewide Civic Polls After Long Gap
Elections took place across 29 municipal corporations after the expiry of their terms. Nine of these corporations are located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, India's most urbanised belt.
Polling occurred in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Vasai–Virar, Nagpur, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad and several other cities across Maharashtra. This widespread electoral exercise reflects the renewed political activity in the state.
Early Ward-Wise Results
While complete results are still emerging, some early winners have been declared. Rekha Yadav of the Shiv Sena won Ward no. 1. Tejaswini Ghosalkar of the BJP secured Ward no. 2. Varsha Tembwalkar of the Shiv Sena won Ward no. 51.
Navnath Ban of the BJP claimed Ward no. 135. Shaila Lande of the Shiv Sena won Ward no. 163. Milind Vidya of the Shiv Sena secured Ward no. 182. Asha Kale of the Congress won Ward no. 183. Ajit Patil of the BJP won Ward no. 214.
These results indicate a competitive landscape with multiple parties securing early victories. The full picture will become clearer as counting progresses throughout the day.
