The BJP and ally Shiv Sena are set for a massive win in the Maharashtra municipal corporation elections. Trends from the 29 corporations indicate Mahayuti constituents are taking a decisive lead of over 900 seats, while MVA constituents struggle with a paltry 118-seat lead.
The biggest setback was for the Thackerays, who, after 25 years, seem to be losing their hold over the prestigious Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Trends from Mumbai show the BJP leading in 92 wards, while the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, is ahead in 26. Together, the Mahayuti alliance is poised to cross the majority mark of 114 needed to wrest control of the BMC.
There was no official confirmation from the State Election Commission yet.
‘Mayor of Mumbai will be from Mahayuti alliance’
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale was among the first senior politicians to react to the development. Speaking to news agency ANI, he said that the Mayor of Mumbai will come from the Mahayuti alliance, as 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.” “The RPI(A) was with Uddhav Thackeray since 2012, which is why he remained in power, but today neither the BJP nor the RPI(A) is with him. Uddhav Thackeray has now formed an alliance with Raj Thackeray, which seems to be giving him some advantage in certain Marathi-speaking areas, but most of the seats are going to the Mahayuti alliance. The Mayor of Mumbai will be from the Mahayuti alliance, and will be a Marathi speaker,” he said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has an annual budget is over Rs 74, 400 crore, making it the richest municipal body in India.
In a significant political turn of events ahead of the elections, cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray reunited last month even as rival NCP factions forged a local alliance in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The political understanding seem to have not worked for the “united NCP” also.
BJP overtakes NCP-NCP (SP) combine in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad
Trends also show the BJP in the lead in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporations, indicating that the saffron party has effectively blunted the challenge posed by NCP-NCP (SP) alliance, led by Ajit Pawar and his uncle Sharad Pawar.
Besides, it is also leading in the Kolhapur, Satara, Solapur, and Sangli civic bodies in the western Maharashtra region, news agency PTI reported.
The BJP had single-handedly held power in the previous five-year terms from 2017 to 2022 in Pune and PCMC civic bodies, after which the Administrator had control of the civic body due to a delay in civic polls after it was put on hold by the Supreme Court on the reservation issue.
In Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, the BJP is contesting independently against its Mahayuti partners, the NCP and Shiv Sena, headed by deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, respectively. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress are also in the fray.