The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Mahayuti alliance partners, including the Shiv Sena, moved into a strong lead across Maharashtra as vote counting began on Friday morning. According to early trends, the alliance led in 24 of the state’s 29 municipal corporations. Key cities in this list included Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Nagpur.

Mahayuti Dominates BMC Race

In the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election, the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance gained a commanding edge. Trends showed the Mahayuti leading in 210 of the 227 wards. The alliance looked set to cross the majority mark of 114 seats needed to take control of the BMC.

The alliance of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) struggled across most districts and trailed badly in Mumbai.

Congress Wins Latur, Faces Setbacks Elsewhere

The Congress, along with its ally Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, managed to secure power in Latur. However, the party lagged behind in several other major civic bodies as the BJP-led alliance continued to expand its lead.

Strong Show In Mumbai Metropolitan Region

The BJP-led Mahayuti also performed well in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), which accounts for more than 20 percent of Maharashtra’s population. The alliance led in eight of the nine municipal corporations in the region.

In Vasai–Virar, the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi led by former MLA Hitendra Thakur took the lead in 65 wards. The BJP followed with leads in 48 wards. In the remaining eight MMR corporations, the BJP and Shiv Sena appeared set for comfortable victories.

However, the BJP and its allies trailed in five municipal corporations. These included Chandrapur in Vidarbha, Latur and Parbhani in Marathwada, Kolhapur in western Maharashtra, and Vasai–Virar in MMR.

High-Profile Defeats In Mumbai

Several relatives of prominent leaders lost their seats in Mumbai. Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Waikar’s daughter lost in ward 73 to Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Lona Rawat. Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Sarvankar’s son, Samadhan Sarvankar, lost from ward 194 to Nishikant Shinde of Sena (UBT).

Gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli’s younger daughter, Yogita Gawli, lost from ward 207 in central Mumbai. Former state minister Nawab Malik’s brother, Kaptan Malik, also lost from ward 165 in Kurla.

BJP Leads In Pune And Pimpri–Chinchwad

The BJP gained a strong lead in both the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri–Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). In Pune, the main contest remained between the BJP and the alliance of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).

Around 1 pm, trends showed the BJP leading or winning about 90 of the 165 seats in Pune. The NCP alliance led in around 20 seats, while the Congress held leads in eight wards.

In Pimpri–Chinchwad, the BJP led in 75 wards. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP led in 40 seats, and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena moved ahead in 10 wards.

Both PMC and PCMC were under BJP rule from 2017 to 2022. Administrators later took charge after elections were delayed due to a Supreme Court stay on the reservation issue.

Western Maharashtra Sees BJP Advantage

Across western Maharashtra, the BJP led in several civic bodies, including Ichalkaranji, Sangli, Solapur, and Kolhapur. In Kolhapur, the BJP led in 27 seats, while the Congress followed closely with 23 seats. The Mahayuti partners fought the Congress together in the city.

In Ahilyanagar, the contest remained tight. The NCP led in 27 seats, while the BJP followed closely with 25 seats, according to the latest trends.