Early trends from the Maharashtra civic body elections on Friday indicated a strong start for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, particularly in the high-stakes Mumbai Municipal Corporation polls. Counting of votes began at 10 am across multiple centres, with television channels reporting that the ruling alliance had taken an early lead in several key urban wards. While the State Election Commission is yet to issue official confirmations, the initial numbers point towards a reshaping of the political balance in Maharashtra’s major cities.
In Mumbai, India’s richest municipal corporation, the BJP emerged ahead in several wards, with its ally Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, following closely. Early trends suggested the BJP was leading in more than a dozen wards, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena was ahead in around ten to twelve seats. The opposition alliance struggled to keep pace, despite the reunion of the Thackeray cousins ahead of the polls. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) was reported to be leading in around ten wards, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, headed by Raj Thackeray, managed only a limited presence in the early count.
In Thane, considered a political stronghold of Eknath Shinde, his Shiv Sena faction appeared firmly in control. Early results showed the party leading in nine wards, outperforming its ally BJP, which was ahead in six. The trends reinforced Shiv Sena’s organisational strength in the region and highlighted its continued appeal among local voters.
Pune also witnessed a strong showing by the BJP, which surged ahead of its alliance partner, the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Initial leads placed the BJP ahead in over 30 wards, while the NCP trailed with leads in around 14. The figures suggested the BJP continues to consolidate its urban base in western Maharashtra.
Voter turnout in Mumbai stood at 52.94 per cent, lower than the 55.53 per cent recorded during the 2017 civic elections. Officials said ward number 114 in suburban Bhandup recorded the highest turnout at 64.53 per cent, while ward number 227 in south Mumbai’s Colaba area saw the lowest participation at 20.88 per cent. Of the more than 1.03 crore eligible voters in the city, just over half exercised their franchise during polling hours on Thursday.
The counting process unfolded amid political controversy, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the Election Commission of undermining public trust in democracy. His remarks came after allegations from Raj Thackeray, who claimed that marker pens were used instead of indelible ink during voting. The State Election Commission rejected these allegations, asserting that established procedures were strictly followed.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, being held after a prolonged delay since the previous term ended in March 2022, are widely seen as a crucial test of political dominance in Maharashtra’s urban centres. With nearly 1,700 candidates contesting across 227 wards, the results are expected to have a significant impact on the state’s political trajectory once final figures are declared.