The Mahayuti has crossed the 200-mark in municipal councils and nagar panchayats out of 288 local bodies went to polls in two phases on December 2 and December 20. These are the trends by Sunday afternoon.
The BJP also registered unopposed victories in at least three local bodies—Jamner (Jalgaon), Dondaicha (Dhule) and Angar (Solapur)—giving the alliance an early edge.
The outcome is being seen as a crucial political signal ahead of the January 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, with the MVA struggling to convert opposition sentiment into municipal-level wins.
Mahayuti (NDA) Dominates Maharashtra Local Body Polls; MVA Lagging
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance emerged as the clear frontrunner in the Maharashtra local body elections, securing a majority across municipal councils and nagar panchayats according to trends. The results are being seen as a crucial indicator ahead of the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls in 2026.
Summary
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has emerged with a clear advantage in the 2025 Maharashtra local body elections. As counting trends from across the state indicate Mahayuti securing more than 200 seats Out of 288 (246 Nagar Parishads and 42 Nagar Panchayats) in Maharashtra, Mahayuti is in comfortable position, While Maha Vikas Aaghadi (MVA) lags with 50 seats according to the trends by 3 pm on Sunday, December 21. Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar - allies of Mahayuti have performed well according to the trends. NCP (AP) is leading on 34 seats and Shivsena(Shinde faction) is leading on 44 seats.
The elections were held in 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats after a prolonged delay caused by legal challenges and administrative hurdles. Voting took place in two phases, on December 2 and December 20, with voter turnout ranging between 60 and 65 per cent in many regions, while some local bodies recorded higher participation. The scale of the exercise made it one of the most significant rounds of grassroots polls in the state in recent years.
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Early counting trends show the Mahayuti— comprising the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP—crossing the 200-mark in terms of leads and wins. In contrast, the opposition MVA which includes the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, has lagged behind in most regions.
Adding to the ruling alliance’s momentum, the BJP secured unopposed victories in at least three local bodies — Jamner in Jalgaon district, Dondai in Dhule district and Angar in Solapur district — where all seats were won without contest. These early outcomes strengthened the Mahayuti’s position even before full counting was underway.
Political observers note that the results reflect the ruling alliance’s organisational strength at the local level and its ability to mobilise cadres in smaller urban centres. For the MVA, the outcome raises questions about coordination among alliance partners and their ability to challenge the ruling coalition outside Assembly and Lok Sabha contests.
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With counting still underway, the final picture is yet to emerge. However, the early trends are expected to influence party strategies, alliances and campaign narratives as Maharashtra heads towards the crucial BMC election, which will determine control over the country’s richest civic body.
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