Maharashtra election result highlights: Suspense builds over Mumbai Mayor's post; Shinde's corporators moved to hotel

Here are the highlights of the Maharashtra civic polls

• After a sweeping victory for the BJP-Sena's Mahayuti in BMC elections, Mumbai is witnessing power-play and hotel politics as Shiv Sena has moved all its newly elected corporaters in a hotel in Bandra.
• A defiant Uddhav Thackeray sought to rally his cadre, insisting that it remained his “dream” to see a Shiv Sena (UBT) mayor elected in Mumbai despite losing control of India’s richest civic body and that shall come true "if god is willing".
• After Congress poor performance, chronic factionalism resurfaced, with a demand being raised for the resignation of the city unit president Varsha Gaikwad on moral grounds.
• Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said the BJP's 45 per cent vote share in the BMC elections reflected a decisive mandate, and its tally was higher than that of Shiv Sena (UBT) despite contesting fewer seats.
• Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar met his uncle Sharad Pawar, a day after the BJP decimated his NCP and NCP (SP) alliance in the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad civic polls.
• Ajit Pawar has said his party would sit and discuss the poll reversal. Asked about the Opposition casting aspersions on EVMs, Pawar said he would not comment on the issue, but added it was natural to blame them after a defeat though no one raises such questions after a victory.
• The BJP won 1,425 out of 2,869 seats in the Maharashtra civic polls to emerge as the single largest party in more than a dozen municipal corporations, including Mumbai and Pune.
• The BJP won 89 seats in the 227-member BMC, ending the Thackeray family's three-decade-old dominance in the cash-rich civic body. Its ally, Shiv Sena, bagged 29 seats, while the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) managed 65, and MNS got 6 seats.

Maharashtra election result live updates: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has said the BJP's 45 per cent vote share in the BMC elections reflected a decisive mandate, and its tally was higher than that of Shiv Sena (UBT) despite contesting fewer seats.

Fadnavis spoke at a gathering of BJP workers a day after the alliance of the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 118 of 227 seats in the civic elections. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party was the second largest with 65 seats.

"Many people are saying that in 2017 (when the previous elections were held) we (BJP) had won 82 seats and now we have won 89, so is that really an achievement....in 2017 we contested 227 seats and won 82, whereas this time we contested only 135 seats and won 89," he said.

The Shiv Sena has decided to move its newly elected corporators to a luxury hotel as the race to pick the next Mumbai mayor heats up. Shinde-led Sena has 29 corporators in Mumbai. A senior party leader said the corporators were being moved to a luxury hotel in Bandra to help them "refresh" after a hectic election season.

The leader, however, gave no clarity on how long the corporators will be housed in the luxury hotel. Another party functionary cited orientation of newly elected members behind the move, adding the corporators will be housed in the hotel for a couple of days. The move comes amid Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's remark earlier in the day that his party could install its mayor in the metropolis if God wills. Shinde's 28 corporators are crucial for the BJP to elect their mayor for the first time in the city. The BJP won 89 seats in the 227-member BMC.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Susieben Shah slammed Sanjay Raut for calling Eknath Shinde 'Jaichand', saying that the party split because of the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP while asking him to "look at his conduct over the past several years". Speaking to ANI, Shah said, "As far as Sanjay Raut is concerned, he must look at his conduct of the past several years. It is because of him that the Shiv Sena had to be split."

She further expressed gratitude towards Maharashtra citizens for giving the BJP-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) alliance emerging as the single largest bloc in the BMC polls.

Maharashtra election result live updates: A day after the Congress logged its historically lowest tally in the Mumbai civic polls, a chronic factionalism resurfaced on Saturday, with a demand being raised for the resignation of the city unit president Varsha Gaikwad on moral grounds. However, Mumbai Congress chief spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the party’s performance was satisfactory, considering the “adverse” circumstances under which the polls were held. Gaikwad has come under fire after the Congress’s tally tumbled to 24 from 31 seats it had won in the 2017 elections to the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Maharashtra election result live updates: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said if God is willing, the party could have its mayor in Mumbai, remarks coming a day after the BJP-Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena combine won the civic elections in the financial capital.

A day after the BJP-Sena combine wrested the Mumbai civic body from the Thackerays in high-stakes elections, Uddhav interacted with Sena (UBT) workers. He said the BJP wants to mortgage Mumbai and won the polls by betrayal, adding that Marathi manoos will never forgive this sin. Thackeray said it's his dream to install Shiv Sena (UBT)'s mayor in Mumbai, and if God is willing, this dream will be realised.

The most glaring question emerging from the rubble of the BMC results is, what could have happened had the Shiv Sena remained a single entity. The numbers suggest they would have been close to holding the reins.

Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) won 65 seats, while deputy CM Shinde’s Shiv Sena secured 29. Together, their tally of 94 seats would have surpassed the BJP’s 89. Aligning with, say, the Congress would mean majority. Read more

Maharashtra election result live updates: Thanking the people of Maharashtra for electing 125 of its candidates as corporators in various Municipal Corporations in the western state, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the parties that lost the polls should introspect. Owaisi said the AIMIM party is gearing up to contest Municipal polls in Telangana and that the party already sought the names of interested candidates.

“Now those parties who abuse us (as BJP's B team) should think of themselves. It is the decision of the people. There is an English saying that victory has many fathers, defeat has none. Why did we (they) lose? Those great people will have to say. As far as the voters' list is concerned, it is correct,” he said.

Maharashtra election result live updates: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde has huddled his newly elected corporators after the BMC verdict amid fears of poaching. The Sena head has moved his corporators to a hotel in Bandra. The development comes even as Uddhav Thackeray sought to rally his cadre, insisting that it remained his “dream” to see a Shiv Sena (UBT) mayor elected in Mumbai despite losing control of India’s richest civic body. Read more

Amid the upcoming Mayor election, Eknath Shinde has moved newly-elected Shiv Sena corporators in Mumbai to a hotel in Bandra. He is expected to address them on Saturday evening.

Maharashtra election result live updates: While speaking on the poll outcome, Uddhav said, “BJP couldn't finish off Shiv Sena on ground; it can't buy loyalty despite employing all means.”

Maharashtra election result live updates: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday exuded confidence that the next Mayor of Mumbai could be elected from his party.

While speaking to party workers in Mumbai, he said, “It's our dream to get Shiv Sena (UBT) mayor elected; if God willing it will happen.”

In the BMC elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) got 65 seats, while the BJP emerged as the largest party.

Maharashtra election result live updates: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar congratulated the BJP after the party trounced his NCP and NCP (SP) alliance in the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad civic polls. Pawar had attacked the BJP, which was in power in the two civic bodies in the district between 2017 and 2022, for irregularities and "derailed development", bringing a very high amount of acrimony in the campaign. The BJP, an ally of the NCP in the Mahayuti, had hit back with warnings that Pawar must introspect before making such statements.

While speaking on Saturday, Pawar said his party would sit and discuss the poll reversal. "Voters are important, and every political party must continue its efforts. The BJP has achieved significant success, and I congratulate the party for its performance. These civic polls were fought by the BJP under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and the other parties had to face defeat," Pawar said, according to PTI.

Maharashtra election result live updates: A day after the Congress recorded its worst-ever performance in the Mumbai civic elections, calls were made for city unit president Varsha Gaikwad to step down on moral grounds on Saturday.

Former Mumbai Congress president and MLC Bhai Jagtap said Gaikwad should resign due to the party’s poor showing.

"When candidates were selected, I was told that tickets were distributed based on a survey. I didn't object that time, but when I asked for the survey, it wasn't shown to me," he told PTI Videos.

Maharashtra election result live updates: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi thanked the people of Maharashtra for choosing 125 of the party’s candidates as corporators across several municipal corporations in the state. Speaking on Saturday, he said parties that failed in the polls should take time to reflect on the results.

“Now those parties who abuse us (as BJP's B team) should think of themselves. It is the decision of the people. There is an English saying that victory has many fathers, defeat has none. Why did we (they) lose? Those great people will have to say. As far as the voters' list is concerned, it is correct,” he replied to a query.

Maharashtra election result live updates: The BJP's sweeping win in the municipal body polls in Maharashtra, including the prestigious BMC, where it ended the Thackeray dominance of India's richest civic body after 25 years, is to Devendra Fadnavis's credit.

Fadnavis, the chief minister, became the face of the campaign for the civic polls. He held 77 events including rallies, road shows and gave several public interviews. And that was just in the second phase of the local election. He did almost as many in the first too. Read full story here.

Maharashtra election result live updates: Reacting to the election results, NCP-SP leader Jayant Patil told ANI: “In the results, the BJP has emerged as the largest party; they have secured the victory. I congratulate all parties.”

“We had hoped that our alliance could win where it was positioned, but there have been several reasons, different invisible reasons. You know those invisible reasons too, and we know them as well,” he said.

Maharashtra election result live updates: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections saw an unusual political development in Vadgaon Sheri, where a couple, Surendra Pathare and Aishwarya Pathare, won after contesting on BJP tickets from neighbouring wards.

Aishwarya Pathare recorded a historic win in Ward No. 3, securing a lead of more than 15,000 votes, while Surendra Pathare claimed success in Ward No. 4.

Maharashtra election result live updates: Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC on Saturday welcomed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election results, saying that the people of Mumbai have expressed their trust in Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

"After 25 years, the Mahayuti's mayor will be elected, and that itself is a very big achievement. Thanks to the people of Mumbai for expressing their trust in our leaders, Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis, and for voting for them based on their work," she told ANI.

Maharashtra election result live updates: Posters haling Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis as “Dhurandhar Devendra” appeared in different areas of Mumbai on Saturday, a day after the results of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections were declared.

The banners were put up by BJP Yuva Morcha Mumbai president Tajinder Singh Tiwana, who also won a seat as a corporator in the civic elections.

Maharashtra election result live updates: Congress leader Udit Raj has criticised the recent Maharashtra Municipal Body elections, terming them as "unfair" and alleging that indelible ink played a major role in the results.

"It was an unfair election on a very large scale. Indelible ink played a major role in this unfair election... Hundreds of people were on the streets, unable to find their booth and struggling to find their names in the list," Raj told ANI.

Maharashtra election result live updates: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday criticised Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election results.

He alleged that the BJP would not have found space in the city’s civic body if Shinde had not “betrayed” his party, and claimed that the Marathi people would remember him as “Jaichand”.

“If Eknath Shinde had not become the Jaichand of Shiv Sena, the BJP would never have got a Mayor in Mumbai! The Marathi people will remember Shinde as Jaichand,” Raut wrote.

Maharashtra election result live updates: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday reacted to his party's victories in BMC elections and other municipal corporations across Maharashtra.

He said, “125 corporators of our party got successful in Maharashtra. I would like to thank the people of Maharashtra for actively participating and casting their votes. And I would like to thank all those voters who blessed the AIMIM party candidates with their votes and prayers, and made us victorious.”

“I hope that the corporators who have been successful will live up to the expectations of the people... I am strongly urging all our corporators to remain among the people and to carry out development work in your respective wards,” Owaisi added.

Maharashtra election result live updates: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar suffered a major setback in western Maharashtra, particularly Pune and Pimpri–Chinchwad, where the party failed to make any significant impact despite contesting the civic elections in alliance with NCP (SP), led by Ajit’s uncle Sharad Pawar.

The results in Pune and Pimpri–Chinchwad are indeed a blow to the speculation that the Pawar factions could leverage their reunion to rebuild influence in the state and national levels.

Maharashtra election result live updates: Reacting to his party's victory in the civic polls in Maharashtra, BJP leader K Annamalai on Friday said people trust the triple-engine leadership and they have rejected "divisive propaganda.

The former Tamil Nadu BJP president was targeted by MNS chief Raj Thackeray, alleging the leader from south during his campaign for the civic polls tried to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra by claiming it as an international city. Mockingly, he dubbed Annamalai as "Rasmalai".