NewKerala.com

BJP Alliance Wins BMC Majority, Thackeray Cousins Face Setback

The BJP-led alliance has crossed the majority mark in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, leading in 119 wards. Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's MNS combined were ahead in only 70 wards, falling short of expectations. The polls, held after a delay of nearly nine years, are crucial due to the BMC's massive annual budget and political significance. Beyond Mumbai, the BJP alliance showed strong dominance in trends across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra.

Key Points: BJP-Led Alliance Crosses Majority in BMC Polls

  • BJP alliance leads in 119 BMC wards
  • Uddhav Thackeray's Sena leads in 64
  • Polls held after 9-year delay
  • BJP dominant in 29 state corporations
  • Pune a test for NCP alliance
2 min read

BMC poll results: BJP-led alliance crosses majority mark; Thackeray cousins fall behind

BJP alliance crosses majority in Mumbai's BMC elections, outpacing the Thackeray cousins. Results reshape Maharashtra's urban political landscape.

"The BJP-led alliance has surged past the majority mark - Counting Trends"

New Delhi, Jan 16

The BJP-led alliance has surged past the majority mark in the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, according to counting trends, dealing a setback to the Thackeray cousins' efforts to retain control of India's richest civic body.

As votes were counted for elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the single largest force in Mumbai's civic polls, with its alliance gaining a decisive edge.

In the BMC, the BJP-led combine was ahead in 119 wards, with the BJP leading in 88 wards and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction ahead in 31.

In contrast, the Thackeray family's combined strength appeared to fall short of expectations.

Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) was leading in 64 wards, while Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) was ahead in six, taking the combined tally of the cousins to 70 wards.

Despite their attempts at political consolidation, the duo appeared sluggish in matching the BJP alliance's momentum.

The BMC election is being closely watched due to the civic body's immense political and financial significance.

With an annual budget exceeding Rs 74,400 crore, control of the BMC has long been a key prize in Maharashtra politics. The polls were held after a prolonged delay of nearly nine years, adding to their importance.

Beyond Mumbai, trends across the state also tilted strongly in favour of the BJP-led alliance. In the 29 municipal corporations, the BJP was leading in 909 wards, while its ally, the Shiv Sena led by Shinde, was ahead in 237 wards, reinforcing the ruling alliance's dominance in urban local bodies.

Pune emerged as another major battleground, where the two rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and his uncle, Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Pawar - joined hands for the municipal polls. The outcome in Pune is being seen as a test of the alliance's electoral viability at the grassroots level.

Polling for a total of 2,869 seats across 893 wards in the 29 civic bodies was held on Thursday. Around 3.48 crore voters were eligible to cast their ballots, deciding the political fate of 15,931 candidates, including nearly 1,700 contestants in Mumbai alone.

The final results are expected to significantly reshape Maharashtra's urban political landscape.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
A bit sad to see the Thackeray legacy fading in Mumbai. Balasaheb built that party from the ground up. But Uddhav ji's alliance with Congress-NCP and the split has really confused the core voter. They need to reconnect with the Marathi manoos.
A
Aman W
BMC has a budget bigger than some states! Whoever controls it needs to focus on basic issues – better roads, solving waterlogging in monsoons, and cleaner streets. Hope this new administration delivers on promises. No more excuses please.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the Pawars uniting in Pune despite their differences at the state level. Shows how local body elections force strange alliances. Grassroots politics is always more pragmatic.
V
Vikram M
The delay of 9 years in holding these polls was itself a failure of our system. Democracy shouldn't be put on hold. While the BJP win seems decisive, I hope they remember that civic issues are beyond party politics. Mumbai needs efficient governance, not just political dominance.
K
Kavya N
As a Mumbaikar, my only request: fix the potholes before the next monsoon! We vote for these basic amenities. The amount of money BMC has, there is no reason for our roads to be in such bad shape. Fingers crossed for some real change. 🙏

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50