Counting of votes has commenced in the Maharashtra civic body elections and early trends indicate that the coalition of BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), which is now part of the ruling Mahayuti, will emerge as the major player in the elections especially in Mumbai. The elections held on Thursday in 29 municipal corporations saw about 50% of the total voters exercising their rights.

The battle over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election has turned out to be a very major and critical one, with the BJP-led alliance engaging in a fierce competition of sorts with the reunited Thackeray cousins. Axis My India, JVC, and Sakal exit polls had already predicted a huge victory for the Mahayuti alliance in Mumbai, which the early counting trends have thus far corroborated.

Mumbai Trends So Far

According to the most recent updates, the BJP has a substantial grip on BMC wards, whereas Eknath Shinde’s Shiv sena is also doing well. On the other hand, Uddhav Thackeray’s camp of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s MNS are still very much off the pace set by the ruling coalition in the majority of the wards, although they have come together after almost two decades of separation.

Leads Across Major Cities

• Mumbai (BMC): Based on the first trends, the coalition of BJP and Shiv Sena has the upper hand, whereas the Thackeray-led coalition is still far behind.
• Thane: In the area of Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) is narrowly ahead of its partner BJP.
• Pune: The BJP is the winner in a number of wards, with the NCP led by Ajit Pawar being the runner-up.
• Akola: The situation between the BJP and Congress is very tight.

Statewide Picture

The early signs of the elections in Maharashtra suggest that the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition is not only holding the urban local bodies but also, by the number of wards gained, is capturing hundreds of them. Moreover, the ruling coalition was ahead of the rest as a number of seats were won uncontested prior to election day.

Political Reactions and Allegations

The counting day has also seen political reactions, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the Election Commission of “gaslighting citizens” amid allegations raised by the Thackeray cousins regarding the use of marker pens instead of indelible ink. The State Election Commission has rejected these claims, assuring transparency in the process.

Voter Turnout

Mumbai’s participation was noted at 52.94%, which is below the participation of 55.53% in the previous elections of 2017. Besides that, the cities of Pune, Thane, and Navi Mumbai reported a minor decrease in the number of voters coming out to cast their votes when compared to the previous elections.

The counting may take place but the spotlight is still on the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition to check if they can receive a clear no. in Mumbai and therefore a mayor for the first time in BMC’s history.