Why Maharashtra Civic Polls Have Silver Linings For All Parties, Except NCPs

The elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the all-important Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), may have one clear winner in the BJP, which has emerged victorious in 1,425 of 2,869 wards, but most other major parties also have some positives they can take away. The only notable exceptions are perhaps Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar's NCPs, who failed to take control of even their erstwhile bastions of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, despite contesting in an alliance.

BJP

For the BJP, these elections have established its supremacy in Maharashtra. Not only is it set to get its first mayor in Mumbai, but it has emerged as the single-largest party, by far, if the overall tally is considered. It won 1,425 of 2,869 wards, over 1,000 more than its nearest rival, the Eknath Shinde Shiv Sena, and its hard-fought victories in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have given it a huge base to work on and build from. The massive win will also enhance the stature of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, under whose leadership the polls were contested.

Shiv Sena (UBT) And MNS

While the Thackerays may have lost control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, for Uddhav Thackeray, the results in Mumbai show that he keeps control of the Shiv Sena legacy in Mumbai. Fighting with his back against the wall, after a split in his party, defections, and the BJP's huge electoral machinery against him, his Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) won 65 wards, which is more than double the tally of the Eknath Shinde faction, which only managed to emerge victorious in 29. Also, while Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena secured a majority in the Thane Municipal Corporation on its own, Shiv Sena (UBT) managed to deliver a symbolic blow by winning ward 13A, where Shinde's house is located.

Even for Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which was close to being written off, the alliance with cousin Uddhav Thackeray ensured that it won six wards in the BMC, just one less than its 2017 tally of seven.

Congress

Left without its allies, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's NCP, the Congress managed to put up a decent show, winning 324 wards in the state and emerging as the third-largest party. While the division in Muslim votes will be a concern, it has managed to hold its ground in most strongholds. The biggest confidence booster will be the fact that it managed to win 25 wards in the BMC despite being up against the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance and the coalition of the Thackeray cousins.

Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde)

For the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the goal was to displace the Shiv Sena (UBT) in Mumbai, which it failed to do. But with close to 30 seats in the BMC, Shinde has shown he is a political survivor, while also managing to get a bargaining chip with the BJP, given that the larger party does not have a majority in the corporation on its own. The Shinde Sena has already made some initial demands about the mayoral post. The big win in the Thane bastion will also give Shinde clout.

AIMIM

The Asaduddin Owaisi-led party has made a mark for itself in the civic body elections, winning 95 seats across 29 corporations, indicating that Muslim voters prefer AIMIM over the Samajwadi Party in Maharashtra. At 24, it got its biggest haul of seats in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, followed by 20 in Malegaon.

NCP AND NCP (SP)

For Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar's NCPs, their last-minute reunion did not work as they failed to gain control of both the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations. The parties will have to go back to the drawing board and plot their next steps carefully. The bigger blow will be for Ajit Pawar, who is currently in an alliance with the BJP at the state level. The losses will severely diminish his credentials, and his political future in the ruling alliance may also become uncertain.