BMC Election Exit Poll Results: BJP-led Mahayuti Predicted to Secure Majority

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is on the cusp of a significant victory in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, according to exit polls. The electoral contest, held on Thursday, saw a fierce competition between the BJP-led alliance and the reunited Thackeray cousins, Raj and Uddhav Thackeray.

The Sakal exit poll projects the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance as the single largest bloc, securing 119 seats in the 227-member civic body. The Shiv Sena (UBT)-led alliance is expected to win 75 seats, while the Congress is projected to secure around 20 seats. Other parties are likely to win 14 seats.

The Axis My India exit poll predicts a landslide victory for the BJP-led alliance, forecasting between 131 and 151 seats. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is projected to win 58 to 68 seats, and the Congress is expected to bag 12 to 16 seats. The magic number to form the government in the BMC is 114, making the BJP-led alliance the clear frontrunner.

Exit polls also reveal interesting demographic trends. Among women voters, 44% are estimated to have supported the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. Younger voters, aged 18 to 25, show a strong preference for the BJP, with 47% backing the party. However, senior citizens aged 61 and above are more inclined towards the Shiv Sena (UBT), indicating a clear age-wise split in voting patterns.

The JVC exit poll further supports these projections, predicting 138 seats for the BJP-led Mahayuti and 59 seats for the Thackeray faction. The Congress is forecasted to win 23 seats, while other parties are expected to secure 7 seats.

In terms of community voting, the BJP-led alliance has strong support among North Indian and South Indian communities, with 68% and 61% of these voters backing the alliance, respectively. The Thackeray-led alliance has a significant following among Marathi voters, with 49% support. Muslim voters are more divided, with 41% supporting the Congress and 28% backing the Thackeray-led alliance.

The BMC elections are not just a local contest but a crucial indicator of political sentiment in Mumbai. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, one of the wealthiest civic bodies in India, plays a vital role in urban governance and development. With the exit polls pointing towards a decisive win for the BJP-led Mahayuti, the political landscape in Mumbai is set to undergo significant changes.

The counting of votes is scheduled to begin on January 16, 2026, at 10 am. A total of 23 Election Decision Officers have been appointed for the 227 municipal wards, and 2,299 officers and employees have been deployed for the vote-counting process. This includes 759 supervisors, 770 assistants, and 770 Class IV employees, all of whom have undergone pre-training.

As the results are eagerly awaited, the outcome of the BMC elections will have far-reaching implications for the political dynamics in Mumbai and beyond.