Last Updated on January 17, 2026 12:21 am by INDIAN AWAAZ
Historic Shift in Asia’s Richest Civic Body
AMN / MUMBAI
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has registered a landmark victory in Maharashtra’s municipal corporation elections, winning control of 25 out of 29 civic bodies and decisively ending the over 25-year-long dominance of the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena in Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
In a historic first since 1997, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the 227-member BMC, paving the way for the party to stake its claim to the mayor’s post in Mumbai, Asia’s wealthiest municipal body.
The elections to 2,869 seats across 893 wards in Maharashtra were held on Thursday and counting of votes is underway. Polling for 29 civic bodies, including Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli and Mira Bhayandar, and others, were held after high-voltage campaigns by all stakeholders like the BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP, MNS, and Congress.
BJP–Shinde Sena Alliance Crosses Majority Mark
As counting continued late into the evening, BJP had secured 88 seats, while its ally, the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, won 28 seats. Together, the ruling alliance crossed the majority threshold of 114, ensuring control of the civic body.
The result marks a major political setback for former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, whose faction of the Shiv Sena failed to retain its traditional stronghold amid a split in the party and shifting voter loyalties.
Statewide Civic Sweep Strengthens BJP’s Hold
Beyond Mumbai, the BJP dominated civic polls across the state, consolidating power in key urban centres and reinforcing its position ahead of future state and national elections. Political analysts see the verdict as a clear endorsement of the BJP’s urban governance pitch and the Shinde-led government’s stability narrative.
Opposition Faces Urban Setback
The defeat underscores growing challenges for the opposition in Maharashtra’s cities, particularly the Thackeray faction, which has relied heavily on Mumbai’s civic control for political relevance and organisational strength.
What’s Next
With the mandate firmly in its favour, the BJP is expected to push for administrative reforms, infrastructure expansion, and financial oversight in the BMC, which manages an annual budget running into tens of thousands of crores.