Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday celebrated the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance's sweeping performance in the state's municipal elections. He credited the victory directly to the party's development agenda, emphasizing that Hindutva and development remain inseparable for the BJP.
Fadnavis Thanks Voters, Highlights Development Vision
Addressing supporters after the results, Fadnavis expressed gratitude to Maharashtra's citizens for delivering what he called a grand victory to the BJP in the municipal polls. He announced that the BJP and Mahayuti alliance would now form twenty-five mayors across the state following these elections.
"Hindutva has always been our soul," Fadnavis stated firmly. "One cannot differentiate our Hindutva from development. We contested these civic polls with a clear focus on governance and infrastructure under Prime Minister Modi's leadership. That is why we received a record-breaking mandate. These results clarify that Maharashtra relies heavily on PM Modi."
Mahayuti Dominates Key Municipal Corporations
According to trends available until Friday evening, the BJP-Shiv Sena Mahayuti alliance was leading in a majority of municipal corporations throughout Maharashtra. This includes the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, where the saffron alliance crossed the majority mark comfortably.
- In BMC, Mahayuti led on 130 of 227 seats, surpassing the 114-seat majority requirement
- The BJP emerged as the largest single party with 93 seats
- Its ally Shiv Sena was leading on 27 seats
Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar said the BMC verdict represented Mumbai's endorsement of the alliance's development agenda. He thanked Mumbai's people for their faith in the BJP alliance.
"This mandate has been given specifically for Mumbai's development," Narwekar explained. "We won the trust of Mumbai's citizens by dedicating important projects like the Metro Rail Network, Coastal Road, and Trans Harbour Link to them. This mandate clearly shows Mumbai's desire for continued urban development."
Strong Performance Across Maharashtra
The BJP posted impressive leads in other key civic bodies beyond Mumbai. In Pune Municipal Corporation, the BJP was leading on 90 of 165 seats, while the NCP trailed at 20 seats. The Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT) alliance managed leads in just 10 seats, with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena at two.
According to current trends, the Mahayuti alliance crossed majority marks in several important municipal corporations:
- Pimpri-Chinchwad
- Navi Mumbai
- Nagpur
- Nashik
- Jalna
- Vasai-Virar
Political Reactions and Significance
Chief Minister Fadnavis personally congratulated party leaders as results poured in. He called state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan and Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam to acknowledge the alliance's strong performance.
Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane hailed the results enthusiastically. He declared that the Mahayuti alliance was poised to occupy mayoral posts across most municipal corporations in the state.
"It appears everything is being prepared for people with the 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'I Love Mahadev' mindset," Rane said in a social media video. "Those belonging to the Mahayuti alliance will occupy most mayor seats across Maharashtra."
Background on the Municipal Elections
The BMC elections occurred after an eight-year gap, with previous polls conducted in 2017. Mumbai will now get a new mayor after nearly four years, as the term of the last elected mayor, Kishori Pednekar, ended in March 2022.
Polling for twenty-nine municipal corporations across Maharashtra took place on Thursday, with counting occurring throughout Friday. The strong Mahayuti performance suggests significant public support for the alliance's development-focused approach to urban governance.
