BJP Alliance Triumphs in Mumbai's Civic Elections: A Major Shift in Power

BJP Alliance Secures Majority in BMC Elections

New Delhi: The BJP-led coalition has crossed the majority threshold in the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, as per the latest counting trends, marking a significant blow to the Thackeray cousins' ambitions to maintain control over India's wealthiest municipal body.

As the votes were tallied for 29 municipal corporations throughout Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the dominant force in Mumbai's civic elections, with its alliance gaining a substantial advantage.

In the BMC, the BJP-led coalition was leading in 119 wards, with the BJP itself ahead in 88 wards and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction of Shiv Sena leading in 31.

Conversely, the combined strength of the Thackeray family seemed to fall short of their expectations.

Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) was leading in 64 wards, while Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) was ahead in six, bringing the cousins' total to 70 wards.

Despite their efforts to consolidate power, they struggled to keep pace with the momentum of the BJP alliance.

The BMC elections are under close scrutiny due to the civic body's significant political and financial implications.

With an annual budget surpassing Rs 74,400 crore, control of the BMC has historically been a coveted asset in Maharashtra's political landscape. The elections were conducted after a nearly nine-year delay, further amplifying their significance.

Statewide trends also heavily favored the BJP-led coalition. In the 29 municipal corporations, the BJP was leading in 909 wards, while its ally, Shinde's Shiv Sena, was ahead in 237 wards, solidifying the ruling alliance's dominance in urban local governance.

Pune emerged as another critical battleground, where rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and his uncle, Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Pawar, collaborated for the municipal elections. The results in Pune are viewed as a test of the alliance's electoral strength at the grassroots level.

Polling took place for a total of 2,869 seats across 893 wards in the 29 civic bodies on Thursday. Approximately 3.48 crore voters were eligible to participate, determining the political fate of 15,931 candidates, including nearly 1,700 in Mumbai alone.

The final results are anticipated to significantly alter Maharashtra's urban political dynamics.