Explained: This article explains the political background, key decisions, and possible outcomes related to Explained : BJP-Led Mahayuti Crosses Majority Mark In BMC Elections, Set To Control India’s Richest Civic Body and Its Impact and why it matters right now.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance crossed the majority mark today (16 January) in Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, leading in over 118 seats as vote counting progressed across 23 centres.
The alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena emerged dominant while the reunited Thackeray brothers’ coalition trailed with 69 seats, marking a significant setback for the opposition camp.
Voting for all 227 electoral wards took place on 15 January, with results being declared throughout the day on Friday.
The election saw 1,700 candidates contest for control of India’s wealthiest civic body, which manages an annual budget exceeding Rs 74,400 crore.
Around 1.03 crore voters were eligible to participate, though turnout stood at 52.94 per cent, slightly below the 55.53 per cent recorded in 2017.
The BJP contested 136 wards while its partner Shiv Sena fielded candidates in 89 constituencies.
The opposition saw Shiv Sena (UBT) contest 164 wards, with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) contesting 52 seats.
Congress managed leads in just 12 seats according to early trends, reflecting a poor performance by the grand old party in Mumbai’s civic landscape.
The municipal corporation submitted rectified boundaries for its electoral wards to the State Election Commission, with approximately 20 per cent of ward boundaries modified based on population shifts due to redevelopment and infrastructure projects.
Each ward was designed to accommodate roughly 54,000 residents, with adjustments accounting for population growth in suburban areas and decline in the island city.
Exit polls conducted by Axis My India and JVC had predicted a decisive victory for the Mahayuti alliance, projecting between 131 and 151 seats.
The election marks the first civic polls after nearly nine years, with the previous elected term ending in 2022.
The result positions the BJP-led coalition to select Mumbai’s next mayor and shape the city’s civic administration for the coming term.