Maharashtra Local Election Results: Key Highlights

Mahayuti’s emphatic win in Maharashtra municipal elections redraws the state’s political map as the BJP captures the BMC for the first time in 45 years, delivering a crushing blow to Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray and the Congress.

Maharashtra Local Election Results Deliver Political Earthquake

The Maharashtra local election results on Friday triggered a major political upheaval, with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance registering a landslide victory across urban Maharashtra, including the prized Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The results mark the end of over two decades of Thackeray dominance in Mumbai’s civic body and firmly establish the BJP as the single largest force in the state’s urban politics.

Vote counting for 2,869 seats across 893 wards in 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Nashik, revealed a one-sided verdict. The BJP and its allies emerged as clear winners in most major cities, overwhelming a fragmented opposition.

BJP Captures BMC for First Time in 45 Years

In the most consequential outcome of the Maharashtra local election results, the BJP has wrested control of the BMC, Asia’s richest municipal body, ending nearly 25 years of uninterrupted Shiv Sena rule. For the first time since the late 1970s, Mumbai is set to have a BJP-backed mayor.

Political observers describe the result as a historic saffron sweep, with Mumbai turning decisively in favour of the BJP. The victory not only signals organisational strength but also reflects voter endorsement of the BJP’s governance narrative in urban centres.

“This is not just a victory, it is a tsunami,” a senior BJP leader said, attributing the outcome to public approval of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development agenda and stable governance.

Maharashtra Local Election Results Cement BJP’s Urban Dominance

Beyond Mumbai, the Maharashtra local election results underline the BJP’s expanding footprint across the state:

Pune: BJP retains and expands its dominance

Nagpur: Stronghold consolidated

Nashik: Opposition routed

Multiple tier-2 cities: Clear Mahayuti edge

Out of the 2,869 seats declared, the BJP-led alliance is estimated to have secured over 1,600–1,700 seats, making it the undisputed largest bloc.

Analysts say the results have significantly elevated the stature of Devendra Fadnavis, positioning him as the BJP’s most influential leader in Maharashtra.

Uddhav–Raj Alliance Fails, Thackeray Bastion Crumbles

The biggest casualty of the Maharashtra local election results is the Thackeray camp. Uddhav Thackeray contested the BMC elections in alliance with his cousin Raj Thackeray, a political experiment billed as a reunion of Marathi manoos forces.

The alliance, however, failed to resonate with voters.

Political analysts argue that Uddhav Thackeray’s shift towards soft Hindutva, combined with internal organisational erosion after the Shiv Sena split, weakened his appeal in Mumbai. The verdict effectively ends the Thackeray family’s long-standing control over the BMC, once considered the backbone of their political and financial power.

“This is not just an electoral defeat; it marks the end of Thackeray-centric politics in Mumbai,” said a senior political commentator.

Congress Faces Rout After Going Solo in BMC

The Indian National Congress also suffered a severe setback in the Maharashtra local election results. By choosing to contest the BMC polls independently, despite being part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi at the state level, the party found itself isolated and rejected by urban voters.

Congress failed to make any significant impact in Mumbai and other municipal corporations, raising questions about its ground-level organisation and electoral strategy in Maharashtra.

Rahul Gandhi Attacks Election Commission Amid Defeat

Reacting to the poor performance, Rahul Gandhi questioned the functioning of the Election Commission of India, alleging that voters were misled during the civic polls.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Rahul Gandhi shared newspaper clippings and raised concerns about reports of indelible ink allegedly being erased after voting. BJP leaders dismissed the allegations, accusing the Congress of deflecting blame instead of introspecting.

Critics within political circles also pointed to Rahul Gandhi’s limited on-ground campaigning during the civic elections, arguing that organisational neglect contributed to the party’s debacle.

Maharashtra Local Election Results Signal 2029 Trajectory

The broader implications of the Maharashtra local election results extend beyond civic governance. The outcome strengthens the BJP’s narrative of electoral dominance and governance continuity, reinforcing its organisational momentum ahead of future state and national contests.

For the opposition, particularly the Thackeray faction and the Congress, the results underline the urgent need for leadership clarity, ideological coherence and grassroots rebuilding.

Mahayuti Wave Reshapes Maharashtra Politics

The Maharashtra local election results have decisively reshaped the state’s political landscape. With the BJP-led Mahayuti capturing the BMC and sweeping key municipal corporations, the verdict signals voter consolidation behind the saffron alliance and a decisive rejection of fragmented opposition politics. As celebrations continue within the BJP camp, the opposition faces hard questions about survival, relevance and reinvention in urban Maharashtra.

FAQs | Maharashtra Local Election Results

Q: Who won the Maharashtra municipal elections?

A: The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won a landslide victory across major municipal corporations.

Q: Did BJP win the BMC elections?

A: Yes, BJP emerged as the largest party in the BMC for the first time in 45 years.

Q: What happened to Uddhav Thackeray in BMC polls?

A: Uddhav Thackeray lost control of the BMC, ending decades of Thackeray dominance.

Q: Why did Congress perform poorly in Maharashtra local elections?

A: Congress contested the BMC elections alone and lacked strong grassroots mobilisation.

Q: Did Rahul Gandhi question the Election Commission?

A: Yes, he raised concerns over alleged voter ink irregularities after the results.

References

• India Today live updates on BMC results: https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/story/mumbai-bmc-election-results-2026-live-updates-civic-body-bjp-shiv-sena-ncp-congress-28​
• Moneycontrol on Mahayuti’s ward war victory: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/maharashtra-civic-polls-bjp-wins-the-ward-war-pawars-dada-saheb-jodi-fizzles-thackerays-

• Hindustan Times on BJP’s dominance in BMC: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bmc-election-results-bjp-shiv-sena-eknath-shinde-ubt-mahayuti-aimim-congress-thackeray​
• ET Edge Insights analysis of Maharashtra and BMC results: https://etedge-insights.com/featured-insights/maharashtra-and-bmc-election-results-2026-winners-losers-and-key-takeaways/​
• Republic World on Mahayuti sweeping civic bodies: https://www.republicworld.com/elections/maharashtra-civic-body-polls-battleground-ready-for-bjp-vs-thackerays-vs-pawars-live-upd​