Maharashtra Civic Polls 2026 counting begins across 29 corporations. Mahayuti leads early, but results in BMC’s 227 wards remain uncertain.
Mumbai: Vote counting for Maharashtra’s civic elections has begun across 29 municipal corporations. As of 10:30 AM, early trends from the first rounds show the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance taking the lead in many places. The alliance is currently ahead in around 370 wards across the state. Early numbers also suggest that Mahayuti could perform strongly across all 29 civic bodies, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
However, officials and observers say it is too early to draw conclusions. Maharashtra has 2,869 seats across 893 wards, and Mumbai alone has 227 wards with more than 1,700 candidates in the fray. Results in many wards are still very close and could change as counting progresses through the day.
After almost nine years since the last civic polls were conducted in 2017, voting finally took place on January 15. About 50% of voters cast ballots statewide, which officials said was appropriate for a big, multi-party election. The turnout in Mumbai varied from 46 to 50%. Participation was higher in suburban regions; Bhandup (Ward 114) had a turnout of 53.34 percent, while Colaba (Ward 227) had the lowest, at 15.73 percent. In the BMC election alone, almost 1.03 crore voters cast ballots.
Strict procedures for counting have been established by the State Election Commission (SEC). Mumbai is counting in batches of two constituencies at a time, beginning with 46 wards. In contrast, counting is taking place concurrently in other cities. All polling places have increased security in accordance with Election Commission directives. Although ward-specific updates will be provided throughout the day, complete results are anticipated by late evening.
Early Trends from Counting Centres
Based on early trends from television channels and SEC data, the situation is as follows:
• Mahayuti (BJP + Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena + allies):
The alliance is leading in about 370 wards statewide. In the BMC, Mahayuti is currently ahead in 40 to 61 seats. The BJP contested 137 wards, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena contested 90 wards. If these trends continue, the alliance could cross the majority mark of 114 seats needed to control the BMC.
• Thackeray alliance (Shiv Sena-UBT + MNS):
The alliance is currently trailing, with leads in 28 to 37 BMC seats. Shiv Sena-UBT contested 163 wards, and the MNS contested 52 wards. The alliance has shown strength in traditional Shiv Sena areas, but vote division appears to have affected its overall performance.
• Congress + VBA alliance:
This alliance is leading in 10 to 28 BMC seats so far. Congress contested 143 wards, while Prakash Ambedkar’s VBA contested around 46 wards. They remain present in several areas but have not shown strong momentum in the city so far.
Early Leads in Other Cities
• Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC): BJP is leading in 39 seats, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP is leading in 14 seats.
• Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC): The BJP–Shinde Sena alliance is leading comfortably.
• Thane, Navi Mumbai, and other cities: Early trends show Mahayuti leading in most places.
Officials caution that these are only initial trends from early rounds. In wards with three or more major contenders, results can change once more votes are counted. Around 80 to 100 wards are currently considered too close to call.
Exit Polls and Early Trends Match
Exit polls released soon after voting ended on January 15 broadly match the early counting trends:
• Axis My India projected 131–151 seats for Mahayuti in BMC, with a 42 percent vote share.
• JVC projected 138 seats for Mahayuti.
• Sakal projected 119 seats.
These projections suggested a strong performance by Mahayuti, which early counting trends now appear to support.
Polling Day Highlights
Approximately 50% of voters in the state cast ballots, with suburban areas reporting more participation than urban ones. Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna, Hema Malini, Devendra Fadnavis, Raj Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray, and Nitin Gadkari were among the notable individuals that cast ballots.
Some videos that surfaced online during the polling process claimed that voters could use acetone or sanitizer to remove permanent ink. The State Election Commission stated that majority of the charges were false and confirmed that marker-based ink was utilized. A few EVM-related problems were reported, some of which were in Pune, but they were promptly fixed.
Security arrangements were extensive, especially in Mumbai, where over 28,000 police personnel were deployed. Special arrangements included pink booths for women, ramps and assistance for senior citizens, barricades, and traffic diversions. Polling passed without any major incidents.
Important Campaign Concerns
- Mahayuti: Strong message on infiltration, a “Hindu-Marathi” mayor narrative, affordable bus travel for women, and road repairs.
- The Thackeray alliance focused on combating corruption, lowering pollution, regaining the Shiv Sena history, and promoting Marathi pride.
- Congress and VBA: Since 2022, they have concentrated on social justice, slum rehabilitation, and opposition to administrator-led governance.
Poor road conditions, water supply, air pollution, urban infrastructure, identity politics, governance challenges, and the political division within the Shiv Sena in 2022 were among the main concerns of voters.
The Significance of This Election
The BJP won 82 seats and the united Shiv Sena won 84 in the most recent BMC election, which took place in 2017. The civic body has been under administrator rule since March 2022, following several delays brought up by legal issues and the pandemic.
Overseeing a budget of about ₹74,000 crore, the BMC is one of the most powerful municipal institutions in the country. The winning party or coalition will decide Mumbai’s development, infrastructure, civic services, and government for the next five years.
What to Expect Next
Ward-wise results will continue to come in through the day, with suburban areas expected to report faster. By evening, it should be clear whether the BMC sees a decisive victory or a close contest. The winning side will form the civic administration and elect the mayor, while defeated parties may seek recounts or legal remedies.
Counting continues. Updates will follow as more results are declared.
