Maharashtra BMC elections 2026: Counting begins as Mahayuti poised for clean sweep. Can Thackeray brothers hold on?
The elections to the country's richest civic body were last won by the undivided Shiv Sena back in 2017, continuing their two-decade grip over the state
The elections to the country's richest civic body were last won by the undivided Shiv Sena back in 2017, continuing their two-decade grip over the state
The elections to the country's richest civic body were last won by the undivided Shiv Sena back in 2017, continuing their two-decade grip over the state
The elections to the country's richest civic body were last won by the undivided Shiv Sena back in 2017, continuing their two-decade grip over the state
The early votes are in, with the BJP-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) winning 14 seats, and the Thackeray brothers getting just 3.
The counting of votes for the Maharashtra BMC elections 2026 began at 10 AM on Friday, as the fate of 15,931 candidates contesting for 2,969 seats across 29 municipal corporations hangs in the balance.
While Mumbaikars have only a single vote, as they have a single-member ward, other municipalities will see voters casting four votes.
Despite various issues during voting, such as the use of marker pens to mark those who had cast their votes, and problems with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), among others, the Mahayuti alliance for the BMC—comprising of the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction—seems to be poised for a clean sweep.
According to an Axis My India survey, this Mahayuti alliance could claim 131-151 seats, while the Uddhav-Raj Thackeray combo of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena respectively are likely to get just 58-68 seats.
The JVC exit poll claims that the BJP and Shiv Sena coalition to bag 138 seats while the Thackerays are predicted to get just 59.
The elections to the country's richest civic body was last won by the undivided Shiv Sena back in 2017, continuing their two-decade grip over the state.
As per the final body, the Shiv Sena won 84 seats, while the BJP had bagged 82.
Fast forward to 2026—the first BMC elections after the Shiv Sena split that has seen the Eknath Shinde side unite with the BJP and the Thackeray brothers unite to survive in the state after losing badly in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
(This is a developing story. More details are awaited.)