Maharashtra civic polls: Mahayuti set to rule Mumbai; saffron storm across the state
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is set to come to power in 25 of the 29 municipal corporations
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is poised to end the Thackeray clan’s nearly three-decade dominance of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with the BJP leading in 87 wards and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena ahead in 27, together bringing the alliance to the brink of the majority mark of 114.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) is leading in 65 wards, while its ally, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), is ahead in six. The Congress is leading in 22 wards, the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in three, while among other parties, the AIMIM is leading in eight wards and the Samajwadi Party in two.
In Pune, the stronghold of the Pawar clan, the BJP is surging ahead with leads in 91 of the 115 seats for which trends are available, while both NCP factions are leading in just 17 seats in the 165-member Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Also read: BMC exit polls predict clear win for BJP-Shinde Sena alliance
Similarly, the BJP-led alliance is leading in 105 seats in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), while the Congress is ahead in 33. Nagpur is home to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Nitin Gadkari. However, amid the Mahayuti wave in the state, the Congress has surprised everyone by winning big in Latur Municipal Corporation.
Polling for 2,869 seats spread across 893 wards in these municipal corporations, including 227 in Mumbai, took place on Thursday. As many as 15,931 candidates are in the fray in the 29 civic corporations, which had 3.48 crore eligible voters.
Around 50 per cent polling was recorded in the 29 municipal corporations, State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said after the end of voting. A voter turnout of 52.94 per cent was recorded in the Mumbai civic polls, down from 55.53 per cent in the last elections in 2017, officials said on Friday.
In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), whose annual budget is over Rs 74, 400 crore, 1,700 candidates are vying for 227 seats in elections being held after a four-year delay. Except for Mumbai, the other urban bodies have multi-member wards.
Follow live updates of BMC election results here.
Live Updates
- 16 Jan 2026 2:12 PM IST
BJP-Shiv Sena lead in BMC polls as Mahayuti eyes majority
The BJP and its ally Shiv Sena were leading in the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, according to trends from 210 of the city’s 227 wards, as counting began on Friday morning.
While there was no official word from the State Election Commission, television channels reported the BJP ahead in 92 Mumbai wards, with the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, leading in 26. Going by these numbers, the ruling Mahayuti alliance appeared on course to cross the majority mark of 114 seats required to form the civic body.
Elsewhere, channels said the Congress and its ally Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi had secured control of the Latur Municipal Corporation. Vote counting started at 10 am.
In Mumbai, the reunited Thackeray cousins were trailing the ruling alliance, with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) leading in 60 wards and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) ahead in nine.
In Thane, Shinde’s stronghold, his party was leading in 18 of 131 wards, ahead of ally BJP on 10. In Pune, the BJP dominated the trends, leading in 43 seats, far ahead of its rivals. In Pimpri Chinchwad, the BJP was ahead in 70 seats, while the NCP led in 40. Exit polls have predicted a sweep for the Mahayuti alliance in the municipal polls.
(With agency inputs)
- 16 Jan 2026 2:08 PM IST
Colaba ward logs lowest turnout at 20.88 per cent in BMC polls
Even as Mumbaikars turned out in large numbers for the long-awaited Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, a ward in the upscale Colaba area continued its trend of muted participation, recording the city’s lowest voter turnout.
Final polling data shows civic ward 227, covering parts of Colaba, registered a turnout of just 20.88 per cent — the lowest among Mumbai’s 227 wards. The figure was well below the citywide average of 52.94 per cent, with only 9,614 of the ward’s 46,036 registered voters casting their ballots.
Neighbouring wards in the same upmarket pocket fared relatively better, with ward 226 recording a turnout of 50.69 per cent and ward 225 logging 45.59 per cent.
Ward 226 saw BJP candidate Makarand Narwekar, the richest contestant in the civic polls and brother of Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, in the fray, while a relative, Gauravi Shivalkar Narwekar, contested from ward 227.
Colaba, spread across wards 225, 226 and 227, is a socially diverse area with heritage precincts, upscale residences, older colonies and chawls, factors that shape varied civic priorities. Ahead of the 2024 Assembly polls, the Election Commission had flagged voter apathy in the area.
(With agency inputs)
- 16 Jan 2026 2:03 PM IST
Chandrakant Patil predicts sweeping Mahayuti gains in civic polls
As vote counting continued in the Maharashtra civic elections, state minister and senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil on Friday expressed confidence that the BJP–Shiv Sena-led Mahayuti would post decisive gains across the state.
Speaking in Pune, Patil said, “Mid trends have started coming in now,” adding that the alliance’s lead would only widen. “There is no chance of going backwards,” he said, predicting that it “shouldn’t come as a surprise if we cross 125 in Pune," reported India Today.
Patil said a similar picture was emerging in Mumbai, describing contests in Pimpri, Kolhapur and Sangli as “one-sided.” He added that Mahayuti would secure victories in at least 28 of the 29 municipal corporations, with most wins coming from the BJP.
- 16 Jan 2026 1:56 PM IST
Counting halted in two BMC wards over EVM issue, re-poll plea
Vote counting was suspended on Friday in wards 183 and 72 of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in Mumbai. In ward 183, officials reportedly detected a technical error in one of the EVMs during the counting process.
In a separate development, candidates from ward 72 submitted a representation to the Election Commission of India, seeking a re-election, following which counting was put on hold, reported the Hindustan Times.
- 16 Jan 2026 1:40 PM IST
BJP–Shiv Sena crosses halfway mark in BMC as counting continues
The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance crossed the halfway mark in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections on Friday, leading in 115 of the 227 seats as vote counting continued in Mumbai.
The opposition bloc-comprising Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by Raj Thackeray, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), lagged behind, securing leads in 68 wards. The Congress trailed further, posting early leads in just 10 seats, according to counting trends, reported India Today.
- 16 Jan 2026 1:26 PM IST
BJP-led alliance ahead in Mumbai, Ajit Pawar-led NCP relegated in Pune
The BJP and ally Shiv Sena were ahead in Mumbai municipal corporation elections as per trends in 210 of 227 wards, after counting of votes began Friday morning.
There was no official confirmation from the State Election Commission, but TV channels said the BJP was leading in 92 wards in Mumbai, while Shiv Sena, led by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, was ahead in 26 wards.
Going by the trends, the Mahayuti alliance is poised to cross the majority mark of 114 needed to wrest power in the BMC.
The Congress, with its ally Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi has wrested power in Latur Municipal Corporation, channels reported.
- 16 Jan 2026 1:11 PM IST
BJP hits out at Rahul Gandhi over ‘vote chori’ claim during counting
The BJP on Friday attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with a "khandani chor" barb, accusing him of misleading people by discrediting the Maharashtra civic poll process while the counting of votes was underway.
This came in response to Gandhi asserting that "vote chori is an anti-national act" and accused the Election Commission of gaslighting citizens amid a row over the quality of 'indelible' ink used in marker pens in Maharashtra civic polls.
Reacting sharply to Gandhi's remarks, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, in a post on X, said, "Bahana (excuse) brigade back! Accepting defeat before counting ends?" "Rahul Back to doing what he does best -- discredit, distort and disinform. 'Khandani chor' now regurgitating claims of Thackerays," he charged. (PTI)
Poonawalla also sought to know what came out of Gandhi's 'vote chori' allegations on the Bihar elections.
The BJP has on various occasions slammed Gandhi for his vote theft allegation, terming it "baseless" and an attempt at "hiding his failures".
It has also asked Gandhi and other leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc why they did not file any petition in court or on other platforms challenging the Bihar polls results.
- 16 Jan 2026 1:07 PM IST
AIMIM wins maiden seat in BMC as Mehzabin Khan wins ward 134
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen opened its account in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation after Mehzabin Khan won ward number 134 in Mumbai.
- 16 Jan 2026 1:05 PM IST
Minister Sanjay Shirsat alleges police excess during BMC vote counting
Amid vote counting for 227 wards of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat on Friday accused the police of using excessive force during an alleged lathi charge at the counting centre in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The incident reportedly followed a dispute over entry of Shiv Sena workers, which escalated into a confrontation with the police.
Speaking from the venue, Shirsat said, “Today is the counting of votes, and when our workers were entering the centre, nearly 100 policemen opened a lathi charge on them.” He alleged several workers were injured and said the police had “misused their power,” adding that action would be sought. “The police should show their force on criminals, not workers,” he said, confirming an MLC would be filed, reported ANI.
Police Commissioner Praveen Pawar said the DCP would probe the matter, stating, “Everything will be investigated.” Shirsat’s daughter, Harshada Shirsat, also alleged inaction, even as officials moved to defuse tensions and restore order.
- 16 Jan 2026 1:01 PM IST
Watch: Kolhe family’s emotional win in Jalgaon Ward 11
An emotional scene played out in Jalgaon on Friday as Mahayuti candidates Sindhutai Kolhe and Piyush Lalit Kolhe embraced and broke down after winning Ward 11 in the Maharashtra civic body elections.
The Kolhe family registered a clean sweep in the ward, with three of its members-former mayor Lalit Kolhe, Sindhutai Kolhe and Piyush Lalit Kolhe-securing victory. Lalit Kolhe contested the election from jail, reported India Today.
