Mumbai, January 16, 2026 — The political landscape of Mumbai witnessed a major upheaval as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election results started pouring in on Friday. After years of prolonged delays, the civic polls for Asia’s richest municipal body resumed, and the vote counting revealed a significant shift in power dynamics — with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) alliance emerging strongly ahead.
Vote Counting & Turnout
Counting began at 10:00 AM across 23 centres in Mumbai under tight security and administrative oversight. The turnout figures showed more than half the electorate participating, reflecting an engaged voter base after a nearly four-year gap without civic body elections.
Early Trends Show BJP-Shiv Sena Alliance Dominance
BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde) Leading
- The BJP emerged as the single largest party, leading in a significant number of wards with its alliance partner, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) close behind.
- According to trends, the BJP-Shiv Sena Mahayuti alliance has crossed the majority mark in the BMC, comfortably surpassing the halfway requirement of 114 out of 227 seats to control the municipal corporation.
Thackeray Factions Trailing
- The combined effort of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s MNS couldn’t gain the expected momentum. Their tally is significantly lower than that of the Mahayuti bloc, suggesting a sharp decline in traditional stronghold influence.
Notable Wins
- In one noteworthy early result from Ward 183 in Dharavi, a Congress candidate Asha Kale posted a victory, bucking the broader trend and showing that localized battles remain competitive.
What This Means Politically
End of a Long Reign
If the current trends hold, this election will mark the end of the decades-long dominance of the Thackeray legacy in the BMC — traditionally a bastion of Shiv Sena influence.
BJP’s Strategic Gains
The BJP’s performance in Mumbai reflects broader gains across Maharashtra’s urban civic bodies, where the party and its allies have been leading in several key municipal corporations. This could strengthen its governance agenda at the grassroots level across the state.
Broader Context & Significance
Why the BMC Election Matters
- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is one of India’s most significant civic bodies, with a budget larger than many state governments and responsibility for critical infrastructure, sanitation, public health, and city planning across the metropolis.
- Winning control of the BMC is often seen as a litmus test of political strength — particularly in a cosmopolitan and economically crucial urban center like Mumbai.
High Stakes, High Interest
These elections were widely viewed as a prestige battle, especially after Uddhav and Raj Thackeray joined forces to challenge the BJP-led alliance. However, early result trends suggest that the reunification effort did not translate into expected electoral gains.
Voter Engagement & Next Steps
- Voter turnout hovered around an estimated 52.94%, underlining strong civic participation despite a long delay since the last BMC polls.
- Final official results are expected by late afternoon or early evening, once all ward counts are completed and verified by the Election Commission.
Conclusion
The 2026 BMC election results signal a major political realignment in Mumbai, with the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde) alliance poised to take control of the city’s civic administration. This breakthrough could impact local governance decisions, development priorities, and political narratives leading into future state elections. Stay tuned for the official final tally and detailed ward-wise breakdowns as they are announced.
Last Updated on: Friday, January 16, 2026 6:04 pm by Praneetha Kattamidi | Published by: Praneetha Kattamidi on Friday, January 16, 2026 6:04 pm | News Categories: Startups
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