The BJP-led alliance has decisively crossed the majority mark in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, dealing a major setback to the Thackeray cousins’ bid to retain control of India’s wealthiest civic body. In Mumbai, the BJP led in 88 wards while Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction was ahead in 31, taking the alliance tally to 119 wards. In contrast, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) led in 64 wards and Raj Thackeray’s MNS in six, giving the cousins a combined 70 wards.
The high-stakes BMC polls, delayed by nearly nine years, were closely watched due to the civic body’s political and financial significance, with an annual budget exceeding Rs 74,400 crore. Across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, the BJP-Shinde alliance showed strong dominance, leading in 1,146 wards collectively, while rival factions, including the NCP in Pune, battled for urban influence. With 3.48 crore voters deciding the fate of over 15,900 candidates, the final results are expected to significantly reshape Maharashtra’s urban political landscape.
