Posters calling Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis “Dhurandhar Devendra” appeared across Mumbai on Saturday, a day after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election results put the BJP-led alliance in pole position.
The posters were put up by Tajinder Singh Tiwana, president of the Mumbai BJP Yuva Morcha, who was elected corporator in the civic polls.
The celebration followed a fractured but competitive mandate in the BMC, where the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena emerged as the largest bloc, even as the opposition claimed the verdict showed balance, not dominance.
What the BMC numbers show
Out of 227 wards, the BJP won 89 seats, polling 11,79,273 votes, which is 21.58 per cent of the total votes cast.
Among winning candidates, the BJP’s vote share stood at 45.22 per cent, making it the single largest party in the civic body.
Its alliance partner, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, won 29 seats with 2,73,326 votes, or 5.00 per cent of the total vote share.
Together, the BJP–Shiv Sena (Shinde) alliance emerged as the largest formation in the BMC.
On the opposition side, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), contesting with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, won 65 seats. The UBT-led Sena polled 7,17,736 votes, accounting for 13.13 per cent of the total votes.
The MNS won six seats with 74,946 votes, or 1.37 per cent.
The Congress secured 24 seats with 2,42,646 votes, translating to a 4.44 per cent vote share.
Among other parties, AIMIM won eight seats, the NCP won three, the Samajwadi Party two, and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) one.
In total, 54,64,412 votes were cast. Recognised political parties together polled 26,07,612 votes, or 47.72 per cent. NOTA accounted for 11,677 votes.
Celebration and backlash
While BJP workers hailed the outcome, opposition leaders questioned the triumphal tone.
Reacting to the result, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut accused the BJP of winning by splitting parties.
“BJP wins by creating ‘Jaichands’. Otherwise, what is the BJP’s strength? In every state, in every city, they break up every party and create ‘Jaichand’ to win elections. They are equal to zero,” Raut said.
He also argued that Mumbai had delivered a balanced verdict.
“We shouldn’t assume that the BJP won in Mumbai. It is balanced… In the BMC, the opposition’s strength is equal to that of the ruling party. We have 105 people inside. What will these people do? They can’t sell Mumbai. We are sitting there,” he added.
Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC described the result as a turning point for the ruling alliance.
“After 25 years, the Mahayuti’s mayor will be elected, and that itself is a very big achievement,” she said, thanking Mumbai voters for backing Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis.
From Indore, Congress leader Digvijay Singh said the party would review the verdict.
“The Congress party will analyse the election results. Uddhav Thackeray’s party will do the same, as well as the NCP (SP), and would reflect accordingly,” he said.
The early celebrations and sharp reactions underline what the BMC verdict signals — a lead for the ruling alliance, but a civic house where numbers remain closely contested.