- PM Narendra Modi thanked the people of Maharashtra for BJP's first win in the BMC election
- PM Modi said the dynamic people of the state bless the NDA's agenda of pro-people good governance
- Pune results show BJP dominance despite NCP factions' tactical coordination efforts
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today thanked the people of Maharashtra for their support after the BJP won the election to the richest civic body, BMC, for the first time.
"Thank you Maharashtra," PM Modi said in a post on X, amid celebrations at the BJP office in Mumbai.
"The dynamic people of the state bless the NDA's agenda of pro-people good governance. The results of various municipal corporation elections indicate that NDA's bond with the people of Maharashtra has further deepened," he said.
"Our track record and vision for development have struck a chord. My gratitude to the people across Maharashtra. This is a vote to add momentum to progress and celebrate the glorious culture the state is associated with," the Prime Minister said.
Current trends showed that for 210 out of the 227 seats in Mumbai, the BJP is leading in 90 seats, and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in 28 electoral wards. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which contested separately, is leading in only three wards.
In the Opposition camp, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and its ally, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, are leading in 57 and nine wards, respectively. The Congress, which contested in alliance with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, is ahead in 15 wards, and others in eight.
These numbers prove that the hold of Shiv Sena (UBT) on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ended.
The BJP contested 137 seats and the Shiv Sena 90, while the Ajit Pawar NCP faction fielded candidates separately on 94 seats. The Shiv Sena (UBT) had fielded 163 candidates, the MNS 52, the Congress 143, and the VBA (Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi) 46.
What Changed
The results of the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections delivered a clear political message: the Pawar brand, once considered decisive in these urban power centres, no longer guarantees victory on its own. Despite tactical coordination between the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar, the electorate did not respond with the kind of consolidation the leadership had hoped for.
In the Pune Municipal Corporation, the BJP has emerged with a clear upper hand. The party has either won or taken strong leads in a large number of wards, positioning itself to dominate the civic body.
The NCP factions, even when fighting on broadly aligned lines, failed to convert their traditional pockets of influence into a citywide momentum.
Uddhav Thackeray may be in a slightly better position because while Eknath Shinde made inroads into Mumbai, he could not dent the Thackerays' position as the face of the Marathi Manoos in the financial and entertainment capital.
The Marathi Manoos in Sena strongholds have shown faith in Uddhav Thackeray and the Shiv Sena (UBT) has managed to show a decent performance, though the loss of control of the BMC is a big blow to the Shiv Sena (UBT) as the municipal body has been the main power centre for the party since its inception. The Sena always maintained that its control over the BMC was the main point of agreement between its allies.
Devendra Fadnavis In Form
The credit for the BJP's resounding victory in the Maharashtra municipal elections is being given to Fadnavis. Under his leadership, the Mahayuti completely transformed the state's political landscape. By continuing their historic victory from the assembly to the municipal elections, the BJP has proven that the people of the state have even greater faith in them.
Fadnavis has proven several things with today's victory.
First, whether brothers unite or uncle and nephew join forces, he remains superior to them despite their combined strength. And second, he shattered the Thackeray family's claim to control Marathi votes in Mumbai.
