Even ten days after the BMC election results were announced, the date for electing Mumbai’s new mayor has still not been fixed. The civic body was earlier preparing to hold a special meeting on January 31 to elect the mayor. However, the process has been put on hold because several political parties in the ruling alliance have not yet officially registered their groups, according to Loksatta.
Under election rules, parties must first register their groups with the Konkan Bhavan Commissioner before the mayoral election can take place. Since this step is incomplete, the election has now been pushed to February, according to Loksatta.
BMC election results and numbers
The BMC elections were held on January 15, and the results were declared on January 16. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats. The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) won 65 seats, while the BJP’s ally, the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, secured 29 seats. Congress won 24 seats, and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) got six.
Together, the BJP and the Shiv Sena (Shinde) alliance has a clear majority with 118 seats. This makes it likely that the mayor will come from this alliance.
Group registration causes delay
In the days following the results, the Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction), MNS and Congress completed their group registration with the Konkan Bhavan Commissioner. However, the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) have not yet registered their groups. Other parties, including AIMIM, the Samajwadi Party and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), are also yet to complete the process.
With the Republic Day holidays now over, group registration is expected to resume only next week. As a result, the mayoral election will also be delayed, and Mumbai is now likely to get a new mayor sometime in February.
Mumbai’s next mayor will be a woman from the general category
This is because the Maharashtra Urban Development Department held a lottery to decide who would be the mayor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The lottery result has already caused sharp political reactions, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders claiming that the rules to arrive at this decision were changed without informing anyone.
In this live blog, we bring all the real-time updates on the Mumbai BMC Mayor Elections 2026.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: First elected BMC budget in 3 years
Next month, the standing committee will present the BMC budget for 2026-27, marking the first time in three years that the budget will be tabled by an elected body. From 2022 to 2025, the municipal commissioner acted as administrator, presenting budgets under state supervision, in the absence of elected representatives.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: How is the mayor elected?
Unlike other elections, the mayoral poll does not involve a secret ballot. The entire process is conducted openly as all 227 corporators publicly declare whom they are voting for, and the proceedings are videographed.
After the votes are recorded and counted, the mayor is declared elected. The same procedure is then followed for the election of the deputy mayor.
Once the mayor is elected, the ruling party formally submits to him the names of its leader and group leader in the House, while the opposition submits the name of the leader of the Opposition.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Mayor’s term to be split in two parts
Continuing with the long-standing practice of BMC, the mayor’s term in Mumbai is divided into two equal parts.
The elected mayor serves for 2.5 years, after which a fresh election is held for the remaining term. This system was also followed in the previous BMC term.
In 2017, Vishwanath Mahadeshwar served as mayor for 2.5 years until November 2019. He was succeeded by Kishori Pednekar, who held the post until 2022.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Women candidates come out as frontrunners
With mayorships of major cities going via lottery to women, the BJP’s Alka Kerkar, Ritu Tawde, and Rajeshree Shirwadkar are frontrunners.
For the first time since the 1980s, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to claim the Mumbai mayor’s post, with several women corporators emerging as contenders. Party sources say the contest has narrowed to three frontrunners.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Bhaskar Jadhav urges Shinde Sena to back UBT candidate
Amid the post-election power tussle in Maharashtra’s civic bodies, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Bhaskar Jadhav appealed to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to support his party’s candidate for the BMC mayor’s post instead of its ally, the BJP.
He said such a step would be a “true tribute” to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray in his 100th birth centenary year.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Shiv Sena (UBT) files police complaint over ‘missing’ corporators
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has filed a police complaint after four of its corporators were found to be untraceable. Those not contactable are Madhur Mhatre, Kirti Dhone, Rahul Kot and Swapnil Kene.
The development comes amid speculation that the four may switch allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Reacting to the issue, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the party approached the police after its corporators went missing. He alleged they were elected on the party symbol but chose a different path within 24 hours of their victory, calling them traitors and warning that posters would be put up in the KDMC.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Woman Mayor likely for Mumbai after lottery draw
Mumbai is set to get a woman mayor from the General category following a lottery held on Thursday, though the opposition has alleged that the process was “fixed” to favour the ruling party.
The main contenders for the mayor’s post are Alka Kerkar, a three-time corporator and former deputy mayor, and Rajashree Shirwadkar, also a three-time corporator and former Standing Committee member.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Mayor’s term split into two halves
As per a long-standing Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) practice, the mayor’s five-year term is divided into two equal parts. An elected mayor serves for 2.5 years, after which a fresh election is held for the remaining period. This system was followed in the previous BMC term as well.
In 2017, Vishwanath Mahadeshwar served as mayor for 2.5 years until November 2019. He was then succeeded by Kishori Pednekar, who remained in office until 2022.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: BJP’s strategic victory
The BJP’s dominance in Maharashtra’s civic elections demonstrates its growing organizational strength and voter appeal. Winning 25 municipal corporations and securing 89 seats in the BMC, the party solidifies its urban foothold. Analysts say this could be a springboard for broader electoral influence in Maharashtra, challenging traditional power centers like the Shiv Sena.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Shiv Sena identity amid defeat
Despite electoral setbacks, Uddhav Thackeray stressed that the Shiv Sena cannot be extinguished. The party’s identity, deeply connected to the sons of the soil and the marginalised, remains intact. Thackeray’s message underscores that ideological endurance is more significant than short-term political losses, aiming to rally supporters ahead of future contests.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: First elected BMC budget in 3 years
Next month, the standing committee will present the BMC budget for 2026-27, marking the first time in three years that the budget will be tabled by an elected body. From 2022 to 2025, the municipal commissioner acted as administrator, presenting budgets under state supervision, in the absence of elected representatives.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: OBC women Mayors
The lottery-based reservation system will see women from the OBC category assuming mayoral roles in Chandrapur, Ichalkaranji, Akola, and Jalgaon. This step promotes representation of women in municipal leadership, reflecting Maharashtra’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in local governance while balancing caste-based reservations across cities.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Mayoral reservations in Maharashtra
Mayoral posts in several municipal corporations, including Ichalkaranji, Kolhapur, Chandrapur, and Panvel, have been reserved for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
These reservations are determined by lottery, with some seats, such as in Chandrapur, Ichalkaranji, Akola, and Jalgaon, also specifically reserved for women, ensuring greater inclusivity in civic governance.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Congress and other parties’ gains
The Indian National Congress won 24 seats with a 4.44% vote share in Maharashtra civic elections. AIMIM secured 8 seats statewide, making notable inroads. NCP won 3 seats, Samajwadi Party 2, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP secured 1. The results indicate a fragmented urban political environment, with regional and minority-focused parties continuing to hold pockets of influence.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: UBT alliance performance
Shiv Sena (UBT) contested in alliance with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), winning a combined 71 seats. UBT polled 7,17,736 votes (13.13%), while MNS contributed 6 seats with 74,946 votes (1.37%). This alliance helped the UBT retain influence despite the BJP’s sweeping victory, signaling the party’s continued grassroots support.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Mahayuti dominance in Maharashtra’s political landscape
The Mahayuti alliance crossed the majority mark with 118 out of 227 BMC seats. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) secured 29 seats. Shiv Sena (UBT) managed 65 seats, leading the opposition, reflecting a reshaping of the political landscape in Maharashtra’s capital.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: BJP’s civic sweep in Maharashtra
BJP and Mahayuti allies dominated the Maharashtra civic elections, winning 25 out of 29 municipal corporations. This result marks a decisive shift in power, signaling the end of the Thackeray family’s nearly three-decade-long influence over Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a key stronghold of the Shiv Sena.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray
Addressing party workers, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray highlighted the enduring legacy of the Shiv Sena founder and reiterated that political challenges, including BJP’s attempts to undermine the party, cannot diminish the Sena’s ideological significance or its commitment to its core principles.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: 'Shiv Sena is an ideology', says Uddhav Thackeray
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray declared that the party cannot be destroyed, emphasizing it is more than just politics. “Shiv Sena is not a party; Shiv Sena is an ideology. Shiv Sena is the ember of the sons of the soil,” he said, reinforcing the party’s identity as a symbol of the oppressed and rooted in Maharashtra’s culture.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: 'Their factionalism will continue...' says Raut
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday took a jibe at the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led faction, claiming internal rifts would persist until the mayoral installation. “Their factionalism will continue till the installation ceremony. Shinde is sitting upset,” Raut was quoted as saying by ANI.
Commenting on the recently concluded municipal corporation elections, Raut further alleged that corporators elected on opposition party tickets were being pressured and诱ed by the ruling alliance to defect.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: When will mayor be announced?
The mayoral election process can move forward only after the reservation lottery is finalised. Once the reservation is announced, the BMC House convenes a special session to notify members of the election schedule.
This is followed by a mandatory seven-day notice period, placing the mayoral election around January 28 or 29.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Which mayoral seats are reserved for women, SC, ST and OBC?
Across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar and Bhiwandi-Nizampur will have mayors from the general category, with the posts in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Mira-Bhayandar reserved for women.
The mayoral post in Kalyan-Dombivli has been reserved for a Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidate, while Thane and Panvel will see mayors from the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories, respectively.
In other parts of the state, Jalgaon, Chandrapur and Ahilyanagar will each have women mayors from the OBC category.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Cong leaders settle internal dispute linked to Chandrapur civic body
The Congress has resolved an internal dispute linked to the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation (CMC) in Maharashtra after a high-level meeting of party leaders, its state legislature party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said on Saturday.
The meeting was held in the wake of 13 Congress corporators, out of the party's 27 elected members in the Chandrapur civic body, on Friday registered themselves as a group amid a tussle between Wadettiwar and the party's local MP Pratibha Dhanorkar.
These 13 corporators owed allegiance to Dhanorkar. Later, the remaining 14 corporators supporting Wadettiwar, reached the venue and objected to the registration.
During the meeting, which was held online, it was decided that the name of the Congress group leader in the CMC will be finalised by state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, while decisions on the mayor and the standing committee will be taken by Wadettiwar in consultation with MP Dhanorkar.
The meeting was attended by Congress' Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala, Sapkal, Dhanorkar and Wadettiwar.
- via PTI
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Meet the frontrunners of mayoral race
Alka Kerkar: Alka Kerkar is emerging as one of the leading contenders for the mayoral post. A senior BJP leader, she has been elected as a corporator for four consecutive terms and has also served as Deputy Mayor of Mumbai. Her extensive experience in civic administration and strong organisational standing within the BJP have placed her firmly at the centre of the mayoral race.
Rajashree Shirvadkar: Rajashree Shirvadkar is being positioned by her supporters as a candidate with a strong grassroots base. Actively involved in civic affairs and local issue resolution, she is viewed as a leader capable of building consensus across party lines. Party sources say her outreach and coordination skills could prove significant in a politically fragmented BMC, where the mayor’s role requires balancing administrative duties with political negotiations.
Read More: The 6 frontrunners for richest civic body
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: Thackeray says Maharashtra politics has turned into a ‘marketplace of slaves’
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Friday launched a sharp attack on the state’s political climate, saying Maharashtra’s politics had turned into a “marketplace of slaves” amid the scramble for posts following the recent civic body elections.
Referring to developments in Kalyan-Dombivli, Thackeray described the situation as “disgusting” and questioned the direction in which state politics was headed.
A few days after the setback in Mumbai's civic body elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray said the BJP was wrong to think it could get rid of his party.
While addressing his party workers on Friday, he said that Shiv Sena (UBT) is "not a party but an idea," as quoted by PTI. Uddhav talked to party workers on Friday at an event for the 100th birthday of Bal Thackeray, the founder of the undivided Shiv Sena. He said that "many people are trying to erase the Thackeray name," but he said it wouldn't happen.
After the BMC election results, there is new talk that the BJP, which is now a major political party, could choose Mumbai's "first" mayor. But that claim leaves out an important part of the city's history. Mumbai had a BJP mayor four decades ago. As per Loksatta, Dr. Prabhakar Sanjiv Pal became the BJP's first mayor in Mumbai just a few years after the party was founded in 1980.
Mumbai Mayor Election Live Updates: At what date Mumbai Mayor will be announced?
The city’s next mayor is likely to be decided by January 28 or 29. The mayor will be picked through an election. Nominations are open for women candidates from the general (open) category.
It is still not clear who will be the next mayor of Mumbai, even a week after the results of the city's elections were made public.
However, there are hints that Shiv Sena (Thackeray) may have trouble getting the job of mayor. Even though "Matoshree" named former mayor Kishori Pednekar as the party's group leader, many party members are very unhappy with the choice.
People were happy to see her when the Shiv Sena (Thackeray) faction won the elections, but when they gave the group leader's job to someone who had been accused of wrongdoing, people became uneasy and unhappy within the group, as per report by Loksatta.
On Monday, Sanjay Raut, the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), stated that Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar seem to be getting closer because candidates from both sides are running under the same election symbol. Raut said in Mumbai that Sharad Pawar would stay with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and that Ajit Pawar would have to leave the government. He also said that action would be taken against Ajit Pawar. He also said that one cannot "have the feet in two boats," which means that Ajit Pawar cannot support both sides at the same time, as per ANI.