BMC and Maharashtra Civic Poll Results 2026: A Shift in Urban Political Dynamics

The 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Maharashtra civic elections have reshaped the urban political landscape of the state. Held after a delay of nearly four years due to legal challenges and prolonged administrator rule, the elections across 27 municipal corporations and 2,869 seats were seen as a critical test of governance and political credibility.

The verdict was emphatic. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance emerged as the dominant force in urban Maharashtra, projected to win more than 1,800 seats statewide. In Mumbai, the Mahayuti crossed the majority threshold in the 227-member BMC, with the BJP alone securing over 90 wards. This marks the end of the Shiv Sena's uninterrupted control of the civic body since 1997 and the BJP’s first real capture of India’s richest municipal corporation.

Winners

1. Devendra Fadnavis and BJP The biggest and most obvious winner is Devendra Fadnavis and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP won over 90 wards of the BMC on its own, compared to 82 in 2017. In key wards such as Mulund West (Ward 103), the BJP defeated the MNS by a margin exceeding 12,000 votes. Statewide results reinforced this dominance. The BJP led in Pune Municipal Corporation with over 50 of 162 seats, secured a majority in Navi Mumbai (40 of 67), and crossed 80 seats in Nagpur’s 151-member civic body. Axis My India estimated the BJP support among first-time voters (18–25 age group) at 47%, while 44% of women voters backed the party, influenced by welfare schemes such as Majhi Ladki Bahin and promises of tighter audits of civic spending. With the BMC’s annual budget exceeding Rs 60,000 crore, control over Mumbai’s civic machinery also enhances the BJP’s long-term institutional leverage ahead of the 2029 assembly elections.

2. Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena For the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the civic results offered political validation. Since the 2022 split, the Shinde faction’s central challenge has been legitimacy. The civic verdict, particularly in Mumbai and Thane, strengthened its claim. The party has won or is leading on 352 wards and has emerged as the second-largest party in Maharashtra civic polls. In Mira-Bhayandar and Ulhasnagar, the Shinde faction recorded near-sweeps, reflecting voter preference for continuity in infrastructure delivery over symbolic politics.

3. Mahayuti Alliance The BJP–Shiv Sena–NCP Mahayuti alliance once again sealed the victory in Maharashtra. Despite contesting separately in some cities, the alliance demonstrated effective vote transferability in Mumbai, Nashik, and Nagpur. The alliance won or is leading in over 1,700 wards across Maharashtra. With a major victory, Mahayuti showed how to convert state-level power into grassroots and civic dominance.

4. AIMIM The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) made modest but consequential gains in Maharashtra civic elections. The party registered victory or is leading on 94 wards, primarily in Muslim-majority pockets such as Bhendi Bazaar and parts of Kurla and Mumbra. In Aurangabad Municipal Corporation, it crossed 15 seats. While these numbers remain small, AIMIM’s presence seems to have fragmented the opposition vote, particularly hurting Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT).

5. K Annamalai and 'Rasmalai' When the results of the Maharashtra civic elections were being tallied, one of the most unexpected stories to emerge was not about seats won or wards lost. It was about narrative currency—how a Tamil Nadu BJP leader emerged as a winner without contesting. The 'rasmalai' controversy began when Annamalai, while campaigning in Mumbai for the BMC elections, said the city didn't belong to Maharashtra alone as it was an international city. The remarks triggered a sharp exchange at a joint Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS rally in Mumbai. MNS chief Raj Thackeray took a swipe at Annamalai, mocking him as 'rasmalai' and questioning his authority to comment on Mumbai. He also raised the slogan “hatao lungi, bajao pungi,” a phrase long used derogatorily against South Indians in the city. However, Mahayuti won, and BJP MPs and supporters were soon having a field on social media, posting photos of 'rasmalai' and mocking Raj Thackeray.

Losers

1. Uddhav Thackeray's Sena The biggest electoral setback was suffered by Uddhav Thackeray. From over 130 BMC seats in 2017, Sena (UBT) fell to 72 seats. Even traditional strongholds such as Gorai and parts of Mahim witnessed defeats. The loss of control of the BMC is a big blow to Uddhav, as the Sena has always maintained its control over the civic body. His long-anticipated reunion with estranged cousin Raj Thackeray also failed to make any impact on the ground.

2. Congress The Indian National Congress emerged as one of the biggest losers of the BMC and Maharashtra civic elections. The results exposed its near-total erosion in urban politics. In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Congress was reduced to around 21 seats, a sharp fall from its already diminished presence in 2017, when it had crossed 30. Across Maharashtra’s 27 municipal corporations, the party managed roughly 306 wards out of 2,869. In Pune, once a Congress-influenced city, the party was restricted to fewer than five seats out of 162, while in Mumbai, it failed to emerge as a serious contender in most wards. The party’s lack of a city-specific agenda, factional infighting, and minimal national leadership presence during the campaign compounded its decline.

3. Raj Thackeray and MNS For Raj Thackeray, the civic polls reinforced a long-term downward trajectory. The leader joined hands with his cousin Uddhav to keep the BJP at bay. But the results show how he failed miserably. During the election campaign, he tried to appeal around the idea of the 'Marathi Manoos' while invoking Balasaheb Thackeray. This politics of sentiment has deep roots in Maharashtra’s history. He relied on fiery speeches, symbolic gestures, and cultural flashpoints to command attention, often targeting migrants, linguistic outsiders, or perceived cultural dilution in Mumbai. However, this failed to resonate with the voters. The MNS failed to secure major wins, securing only 11 of 227 wards in Mumbai. At the state level, the party managed to get only 18 of 2,869 wards.

4. Sharad Pawar Sharad Pawar emerged as one of the biggest losers of the BMC and Maharashtra civic elections. The results exposed the steady erosion of his once-formidable grip over urban and organizational politics. The decline of the NCP, particularly in key urban centers, reflects the broader challenges faced by legacy political figures in a rapidly changing political landscape.