Mumbai — Vote counting is underway for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the first major civic polls in the city after a nine-year gap, and early trends indicate a strong start for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.
As counting progressed at multiple centres under the Maharashtra State Election Commission, initial leads showed Mahayuti ahead with 26 seats. The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, or UBT) in alliance with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) trailed with 12 seats, while the Congress held leads in 3 seats.
Over 1,700 candidates contested the 227 wards in Mumbai, a metropolis where the BMC manages an annual budget surpassing ₹74,000 crore and oversees vital services including infrastructure, housing, and sanitation.
The elections, postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and disputes over ward boundaries, recorded an estimated voter turnout of around 53%, per civic authorities. The contest gained extra intensity following the 2022 Shiv Sena split, pitting the ruling Mahayuti coalition—backed by the state government—against the reunited Thackeray cousins: Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s MNS, joined by opposition partners.
These preliminary figures capture only the opening rounds of tallying, with trends remaining subject to change as additional rounds are completed. The outcome will shape governance for Asia’s richest civic body, determining priorities for urban development in India’s financial hub.
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