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Shiv Sena (UBT), BJP locked in neck-and-neck fight in battle for BMC
In BMC election results, the BJP was leading in 16 wards, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) was close behind with leads in 11 wards, as of 10:20 am.
Very early trends in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on Friday pointed to a tight contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT).
As counting began, television reports indicated that the BJP was leading in 16 wards, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) was close behind with leads in 11 wards, as of 10:20 am. The remaining seats were either too close to call or awaited clearer trends as counting progressed. Follow BMC election live updates here
The counting of votes is underway for elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, marking a key moment in the state’s civic electoral calendar.
The 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections were held for all 227 seats of the civic body, with a party or alliance requiring at least 114 seats to secure a majority and take control of the BMC.
Mahayuti vs MVA for BMC
The contest has largely been shaped by two rival formations. The BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have joined forces to take on the opposition alliance comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP. The Congress is contesting separately, along with its allies including the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), the Rashtriya Samaj Paksh (RSP) and others.
As reported by HT earlier, 68 seats located largely in Mumbai’s Marathi-dominated pockets are set to play a decisive role in determining which faction lays claim to the Shiv Sena’s political legacy – Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) or the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Follow Maharashtra elections result Live
In the previous Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the undivided Shiv Sena had emerged as the single largest party with 84 seats, followed closely by the BJP with 82.
CM Fadnavis exudes confidence
Ahead of the counting, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed confidence about the ruling alliance’s prospects in key urban bodies.
“Mahayuti is winning major municipal corporations, including Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Nashik, with a comfortable majority,” he said.
Playing down the electoral understanding between Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar, Fadnavis added, “They are contesting together in just two bodies. They have not officially merged. This is more of a local phenomenon.”
For the unversed, former rivals Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray joined hands after ending their long-standing rivalry last June. Meanwhile, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar contested alongside Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, despite being part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance at the state level.
Conting of Votes begins in Mumbai
Counting for the BMC polls began at 10 am across 23 designated counting centres in Mumbai. Municipal commissioner and district election officer Bhushan Gagrani said the process is being conducted in phases, rather than through simultaneous counting in all wards, as part of the arrangements put in place for the exercise.
