Fadnavis says BJP mayor in Mumbai as Mahayuti tastes victory in Maha corporation elections

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has taken a lead in 24 of 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Mumbai (BMC), Pune, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Nagpur, according to results announced by the Maharashtra State Election Commission here on Friday.

The BJP flag is likely to fly on as many as 21 municipal corporations in the state, including Mumbai, while the Eknath Shiv Sena and Congress had to be content with only a handful of seats, even as the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has lost its power in Mumbai after almost 30 years of dominance.

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In Mumbai, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance crossed the majority mark in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), securing a total of 120 wards in the 227-ward civic body. Out of these, the BJP alone has won 93 seats, while its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, won 27 BMC wards.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena alliance with the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) won a total of 73 seats, with the Uddhav-led Sena winning 63 seats and the MNS winning 10 seats, while the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP failed to open their accounts in the BMC.

The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has maintained its dominance in its traditional strongholds of Thane and Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation.

In the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the BJP has emerged with a clear upper hand, and the party has either won or has taken strong leads in a large number of wards of the PMC, positioning itself to dominate the corporation.

In Pune, though both the NCPs led by Sharad Pawar and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar fought the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections together as an alliance, they failed to convert their traditional pockets of influence into votes.

Even as results were still being announced, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis thanked voters across the state, describing the outcome as a historic and record-breaking mandate in municipal bodies.

Fadnavis said that the results reflect public support for the Mahayuti alliance’s governance and credited the victory to the development-focused agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Fadnavis also announced that the Mahayuti flag would be unfurled at the BMC headquarters to mark the alliance’s success in Mumbai and stated that Mumbai will get a BJP mayor.

Assuring inclusive governance, Fadnavis said that the Mahayuti government would work for every section of society and remain committed to development-driven policies, adding that the verdict “demonstrates people’s confidence in the Mahayuti alliance’s leadership and vision for Maharashtra’s urban growth”.

Calling the result a significant moment for the BJP in the state, Fadnavis said the victory symbolises the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and reflects the aspirations of citizens for progress, stability, and effective administration.

“Under the visionary leadership of honourable PM Narendra Modi, along with the guidance of BJP National President and honourable Union Minister J P Nadda, honourable Union Home & Cooperation Minister Amitbhai Shah, BJP National Working President Nitin Nabin, and the tireless efforts of BJP State President MLA Ravindra Chavan and all party workers, the BJP has achieved a momentous victory in the state of Maharashtra once again,” Fadnavis tweeted on his X account.

Fadnavis also called Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan and Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam to congratulate them for the poll victory.

However, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and chief Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, “It is premature to comment before the full results are out. Counting in Mumbai is still underway, and final results are expected only by midnight. The figures being circulated are false, because counting has not yet begun in around 100 wards, including Sena strongholds like Bhandup–Vikhroli, Dadar–Parel and Bandra”.