BMC Election 2026 Results: Mahayuti Inches Closer To Victory, Shiv-Sena Alliance Trail At Second

Political parties across the spectrum are announcing welfare schemes and cash benefits ahead of civic elections, ignoring how these will be funded. The BMC’s reserves have shrunk due to costly infrastructure projects, lack of new revenue sources, and rising dependence on borrowings. These announcements ignore the harsh financial reality of the country’s richest municipal body and risk pushing a heavier fiscal burden onto Mumbai’s taxpayers in the coming.

Controversy erupted during polling for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and 28 other municipal corporations in Maharashtra, with opposition parties alleging that marker pens are being used in place of traditional indelible ink to mark voters' fingers, potentially enabling fraud.

Voters and leaders, including Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, have claimed the marks can be easily removed using hand sanitiser, nail polish remover, or simple rubbing, raising fears of double voting. Thackeray, after casting his vote, described the practice as "unacceptable" and urged citizens to remain vigilant, alleging it could facilitate manipulation in the high-stakes polls. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant demonstrated the removal on video, demanding action against officials.

Voting in polls to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra ended at 5.30pm on Thursday. State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare told PTI, after voting ended at 5.30pm, that the turnout so far was 46-50 per cent.

He said this is higher than the figure for the 2017 civic polls and that he was satisfied with the turnout. As per SEC data, the voter turnout was 41.13 per cent till 3.30 pm across the state.

Exit polls released post voting on Thursday have projected a decisive victory for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, indicating a major setback for the Thackeray-led factions.

Surveys conducted by Axis My India, JVC and Sakal suggest a clear sweep for the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance in Mumbai. According to the Axis My India exit poll, the Mahayuti alliance is projected to win between 131 and 151 seats in the 227-member civic body. The JVC exit poll has forecast 138 seats for the alliance, while Sakal has predicted a victory in 119 seats.

Counting centres for BMC election have been established zone-wise, covering all administrative wards, including R North, R Central, R South, P North, P East, P South, K West, K East, H East, H West, T, S, N, M East, M West, L, F North, F South, G North, G South, D, C, B, A and E.

The venues include municipal schools, sports complexes, colleges, auditoriums, stadiums and administrative buildings located in areas such as Dahisar, Borivali, Kandivali, Malad, Goregaon, Andheri, Santacruz, Mulund, Ghatkopar, Chembur, Kurla, Sion, Dadar, Worli, Girgaum and Byculla. Each centre has been assigned specific ward numbers and a designated Returning Officer.

AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan voiced optimism about the party’s prospects in the Maharashtra civic body elections, stating that it would register “significant success.” Speaking to ANI, he dismissed the exit polls as unreliable, saying such predictions have often proven wrong in the past.

He pointed out that the real picture would emerge only after the vote counting on Tuesday. Pathan added that the party was confident of receiving strong public support and believed the electorate had blessed AIMIM with their mandate.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) last went to the polls in 2017. The term of its elected corporators formally ended on 7 March 2022, but fresh elections could not be conducted in time. As a result, the country’s richest civic body has since been run by an administrator.

Municipal elections across Maharashtra, initially due in 2020, were first postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The delay stretched further when polls scheduled for March 2022 were put on hold following a Supreme Court ruling that made the inclusion of Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations in local body elections contingent on a comprehensive empirical study.

A significant turn came on 21 July 2022, when the Supreme Court accepted the State Backward Classes Commission’s report and permitted up to 27 per cent OBC reservation in Nagar Panchayat, Nagar Parishad and BMC elections. However, the court simultaneously made it clear that the State Election Commission (SEC) should not re-notify election programmes for 367 local bodies, including the BMC, solely to implement the quota.

A day later, the SEC announced a revised ward reservation for the BMC’s 236 seats—156 for the general category, 15 for Scheduled Castes, two for Scheduled Tribes and 63 for OBCs—prompting the Supreme Court to intervene again. The court ordered the status quo to be maintained and barred the SEC from issuing a fresh election notification.

The prolonged impasse finally drew sharp judicial intervention. On 4 August 2025, the Supreme Court instructed the SEC to complete local body elections in Maharashtra by January 2026, in line with the revised ward structure and the 27 per cent OBC reservation. The apex court also strongly criticised the commission for the extended delay, underscoring the urgency of restoring elected local governanc

In the 2017 BMC elections, Shiv Sena, which has controlled the Mumbai’s civic body since 1985, came close to losing control to the BJP. The then undivided Sena won 84 seats, narrowly ahead of the BJP’s 82, in a 227-member corporation where neither secured a clear majority. The impasse led to a fragile arrangement, with the BJP backing the Sena’s claim to the mayor’s post.

Since then, the political landscape has shifted dramatically. The collapse of the original alliance and the subsequent split within the Shiv Sena have altered the balance of power, giving the BJP a fresh opening to challenge the Sena’s long-held dominance and push for Mumbai’s first BJP

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar recorded the highest participation at 59.82%, followed by Pimpri-Chinchwad with 57.71% and Navi Mumbai at 57.15%. Vasai-Virar closely trailed with 57.12%, while Thane saw a turnout of 55.59%.
Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) registered 52.94%, marginally ahead of Pune at 52.42%. Nagpur reported 51%, Mira-Bhayander 48.64%, and Kalyan-Dombivli recorded around 45% voter participation.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appointed 23 Returning Officers to oversee counting day operations across the city’s 227 electoral wards. Strong rooms and designated counting centres under each officer’s jurisdiction have been finalised, with all required clearances obtained from the Public Works and Police departments.

Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani stated that comprehensive arrangements have been put in place to ensure the counting process remains transparent, orderly, and time-bound. Preparations include the setup of counting halls, table management, deployment of personnel, CCTV monitoring, fire safety provisions, and medical assistance. He added that close coordination with the Police Department has been ensured to maintain law and order throughout the exercise.

Counting of votes for the 29 municipal corporations of Maharashtra has begun. The most prominent of civic bodies this time is the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of Mumbai where elections are taking place after a hiatus of nearly four years.

BJP-Shiv Sena alliance leads in 15 wards in Mumbai, Thackerays ahead in 10, show very early leads in BMC polls at 10:15 am.

Counting of postal ballots is in progress in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Very early trends indicate that the BJP is leading on four seats in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and is ahead on five seats in the Pune Municipal Corporation.

As counting for the Maharashtra civic body elections began, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut raised concerns over the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines used in Mumbai on Thursday. He alleged irregularities in the electoral process, particularly the absence of names of several voters from areas considered strongholds of opposition parties.

Speaking to ANI, Raut said, “The voting pattern that has been going on in a city like Mumbai is a serious matter. Names of thousands of people, who have even voted in the Assembly elections, are missing in areas where Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS or Congress... The EVM machine does not work properly... The Election Commission is not ready to listen to us. Yesterday, a meeting was held between the senior BJP leaders and the Election Commission staff, why? The Code of Conduct is still in place...”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of eroding public faith, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “Election commission gaslighting citizens is how trust has collapsed in our democracy. Vote Chori is an anti-national act.”

His statement followed allegations from the Thackerays regarding the use of marker pens to mark voters’ fingers during the Maharashtra civic polls. MNS chief Raj Thackeray claimed that polling officials in Mumbai were using pens instead of indelible ink after voting in the 227-ward BMC elections, arguing that such marks could be easily removed with sanitiser.

The State Election Commission dismissed the allegations, denying any irregularity in the voting process.

Trends show that BJP is leading in Pune and Nagpur whereas Congress is leading in Kolhapur and Solapur. Shiv Sena UBT is gaining numbers in Parbhani.

Supporters of two rival candidates clashed during civic polls in Thane, forcing police intervention in the Manpada area, according to PTI.

The incident took place in ward number 3, where tensions flared between supporters of former mayor Meenakshi Shinde, the official Shiv Sena candidate, and Bhushan Bhoir, an independent contestant and Shiv Sena rebel. PTI reported that the confrontation led to scenes of disorder, prompting authorities to rush to the spot.

Shiv Sena leader alleged that workers were beaten by police.

"The police should show their force on the criminals, instead of the workers": Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat alleges Shiv Sena workers beaten up by state police

Congress candidate Asha Kale emerged victorious over the Shiv Sena nominee in Mumbai's Lakshmi Bagh as the grand old party marked its first victory in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections on Friday.

Early trends also showed the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance consolidating its lead across the city, staying ahead in 52 wards as results trickled in from counting centres. In contrast, the Opposition combine of Shiv Sena (UBT), Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar) lagged behind, managing leads in 31 wards in the initial rounds of counting.

Six candidates have been declared winners in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, with Shiv Sena securing three seats.

Rekha Yadav won from Ward No 1, while Varsha Tembwalkar emerged victorious from Ward No 51 and Shaila Lande from Ward No 163. Other winners include Tejaswini Ghosalkar from Ward No 2 and Ajit Patil from Ward No 214, both representing the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Indian National Congress opened its account with Asha Kale winning from Ward No 183 in Dharavi.

Workers from BJP celebrate as Navnath Ban from BJP wins at ward number 135, Mankhurd area.

Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-UBT is leading in 53 wards and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is ahead in 5 wards in Mumbai.

Visuals from the counting centre in Nashik as counting of votes for the Maharashtra Civic Body polls is underway. In Nashik, BJP is leading in 10 wards, Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shine in 7 and Shiv Sena (UBT) in 3.

Congress's Asha Kale has won ward number 183 in Dharavi, defeating Shiv Sena candidate by 1,240 votes. Kale gave the credit of her win to party workers.

"The support of our MP Varsha Gaikwad and MLA Jyoti Gaikwad is the reason behind this victory. With their blessings, we have won this seat. This is the victory of our party workers," she said while speaking to the news agency ANI.

The BJP is leading in 88 of the 227 wards in Mumbai, while Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is ahead in 31 wards. Together, the two parties have crossed the half-way mark in Mumbai.

Thackeray brothers are leading in 70 wards.

Journalist Gauri Lankesh murder accused Shrikant Pangarkar celebrates his victory with supporters after winning the Jalna Municipal Corporation elections as an independent candidate.

The BJP has surged ahead of the NCP-NCP (SP) alliance, led by Ajit Pawar and his uncle Sharad Pawar, in the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporations, according to early trends after the counting of votes for the civic polls began on Friday morning.

The BJP is also leading in the Kolhapur, Satara, Solapur, and Sangli civic bodies in the western Maharashtra region.

BMC election result LIVE: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Friday expressed confidence that the Mayor of Mumbai will come from the Mahayuti alliance, saying most seats in the BMC elections are going to the Mahayuti alliance.

"Today, vote counting is underway for the municipal elections across Maharashtra. As far as Mumbai is concerned, Uddhav Thackeray was in power for 25-30 years. He was in power because he was in an alliance with the BJP. Today, the BJP is the number one party in the country," Athawale told news agency ANI, adding that since most of the seats are going to BJP and Shinde Sena, the next mayor will be from the Mahayuti alliance.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to visit Maharashtra BJP headquarters at 3:30 PM, meet workers as Mahayuti takes decisive lead across civic bodies in the state.

Mumbai is set to have a mayor again after a four-year gap, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election results being declared on Friday.

The last Mumbai mayor was Kishori Pednekar of the undivided Shiv Sena, who served from November 22, 2019, to March 8, 2022.

BMC elections are conducted every five years to elect corporators, each representing a ward in the civic body. To secure a majority and elect the Mumbai mayor, a party or alliance must win at least 114 seats.

After achieving a majority, the party or alliance selects its mayoral candidate. The election process is similar to how the prime minister or chief ministers are chosen from among elected legislators.

Celebrations colour the streets of Mumbai as BJP-Shiv Sena alliance lead across seats in Maharashtra civic body polls.

A total of 65 candidates from ten municipal corporations in Maharashtra were declared elected unopposed ahead of elections held on January 15, the State Election Commission (SEC) said on Friday.

The data was shared on a day when the counting of votes for 29 civic bodies, which went to polls on Thursday, was underway.

The BJP topped the list of unopposed candidates with 43, followed by ally Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena (18 candidates), the Nationalist Congress Party (2), an Independent, and a candidate of the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra.

At 20, the highest number of candidates were elected unopposed from Kalyan-Dombivali in Thane district, including 16 of the BJP and six of the Shiv Sena.

Two candidates of the BJP won without contesting the polls in each Pimpri Chinchwad and Pune, and six from Bhiwandi Nizampur in Thane district.

In Panvel, seven candidates declared elected unopposed, including six from the BJP and an Independent.

In Jalgaon, 12 candidates were elected without contesting, including six each from the Shiv Sena and the BJP.

In Dhule, all four unopposed candidates were from the BJP. While in Thane, all six corporators are from Shiv Sena. While in Ahilyanagar, three candidates were from the BJP and two from the NCP.

State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare had said reports have been sought from municipal commissioners regarding cases in which candidates of the ruling coalition were declared elected unopposed in Maharashtra.

However, the SEC break-up of the uncontested victories is silent on this aspect.

- PTI

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has hailed BJP's victory in the civil elections in the state. Taking to X. the BJP leader said:

“Under the visionary leadership of Hon PM Narendra Modi Ji, along with the guidance of BJP National President and Hon Union Minister J. P. Nadda ji, Hon Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amitbhai Shah, BJP National Working President Nitin Nabin ji, and the tireless efforts of BJP State President MLA Ravindra Chavan and all the party workers, BJP has achieved a momentous victory in the state once again!”