Maharashtra Polls: Mahayuti Ends Sena Streak In Mumbai As Vote Chori, & Controversies Shadow The Polls

Municipal elections rarely capture the imagination like state or national contests. Yet, the latest round of civic polls in Maharashtra, anchored by the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election, has done precisely that. Beyond ward tallies and mayoral math, these elections offer a revealing snapshot of shifting political loyalties, alliance arithmetic, and the growing friction between electoral outcomes and public trust.

Mahayuti In Urban Maharashtra

Results from the 29 municipal corporations showed victory for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. In key urban centres such as Pune (PC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad (PCMC), the BJP has moved decisively ahead of the NCP–NCP (SP) combine led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar, signalling erosion in the traditional influence of regional heavyweights. The reunited Pawars failed to shine in Pune as the BJP took on a massive lead in 110 of the 165 seats in the PMC and in 81 of the 128 seats in the PCMC.

This momentum extends across western Maharashtra, with the BJP leading in civic bodies like Kolhapur, Satara, Solapur, and Sangli. Overall, the BJP won in more than 1,170 wards statewide, while its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, won 300+ wards. The numbers suggest not just electoral success, but a consolidation of urban governance under the Mahayuti banner.

Mumbai: The End Of Sena’s Reign

Nowhere is this shift more symbolically charged than in Mumbai. The BMC, long regarded as the Shiv Sena’s crown jewel, has become the battleground for competing claims of legacy and legitimacy. The reunion of the Thackeray brothers was framed as an emotional and ideological bid to reclaim Sena’s historical dominance.

Yet numbers tell a different story. The BJP-led alliance won with a majority, securing 120 seats out of 227, while the Thackeray-led alliance trailed in second with 73 seats. Mumbai is ready to witness the end of a political streak that defined its civic administration for decades, marking a profound realignment in the city’s power structure. And the city is set to have a mayor again after a four-year gap. The last Mumbai mayor was Kishori Pednekar of the undivided Shiv Sena, who served from November 22, 2019, to March 8, 2022.

Vote Chori, Ink Controversy

While the electoral map appears to be tilting decisively, the process itself has come under intense scrutiny. Opposition parties alleged widespread “vote chori,” accusing the BJP of distributing household appliances ahead of polling, claims framed as open inducements rather than covert violations.

Dr. Shama Mohamed, National Spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, alleged that the BJP distributed household appliances, including mixers, on the eve of polling in the BMC elections. Calling it a clear case of open bribery, she questioned the Election Commission’s inaction, stating that such practices were taking place in full public view. “If this does not amount to vote chori,” she asked, “then what does?”

Administrative controversies have further complicated the narrative. Complaints over fading marker ink prompted intervention by the State Election Commission, while reports of missing voter names, technical failures in voter apps, and booth-level confusion surfaced across Mumbai neighbourhoods like Juhu and Bandra.

More troubling were allegations by some voters that their votes were diverted despite choosing opposition candidates, claims that, while unproven, have amplified mistrust.

Taken together, Maharashtra’s municipal elections reveal more than a tally of wins and losses. They reflect the BJP’s deepening grip on urban politics, the fragmentation of opposition space, and the challenges faced by regional parties in adapting to a new political ecosystem.