Mumbai, Jan 15: Maharashtra is gearing up for a crucial round of municipal corporation elections on January 15, with voters across the state set to cast their ballots for 2,869 seats spread across 893 wards. The election, which will decide the fate of 15,931 candidates, will take place in 29 municipal corporations, including major cities like Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and Nagpur. Voting is expected to draw out 3.48 crore eligible voters.
Key municipalities going to the polls include Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kolhapur, Vasai-Virar, Kalyan-Dombivli, Nagpur, Solapur, Thane, and Parbhani, among others. The election is seen as a crucial test for political forces across the state, with key alliances and campaigns shaping up in the lead-up to the polls.
Polling is set to begin at 7:30 AM on January 15 and will conclude by 5:30 PM. To ensure smooth operations and safety, more than 25,000 police personnel, including senior officers, will be deployed across Mumbai alone. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also outlined its preparedness for the election, announcing that the distribution of EVMs and other materials was completed at 23 divisional centers across the city. Additionally, secure strong rooms have been set up at each counting center to ensure the safety of election materials, with transparency measures in place for the counting process, which will begin on January 16.
Efforts have also been made to boost voter participation, with polling stations in Mumbai being decorated, along with the introduction of "pink booths," selfie points, and media facilitation centers. These measures are aimed at engaging voters and ensuring a smooth election process.
The battle for control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is particularly intense, with the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition facing off against the reunited Thackeray cousins—Raj and Uddhav Thackeray—who are leading the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) parties, respectively. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Congress, Samajwadi Party, and other smaller parties are also in the fray, making the contest highly competitive.
For 26 years, the Shiv Sena had a stronghold over the BMC before the BJP made significant inroads in the 2017 elections, securing 82 seats compared to Shiv Sena’s 84. This election is seen as a major battleground, as both major alliances aim to capture the prestigious civic body.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis concluded the campaigning period on Tuesday with a roadshow for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections, further highlighting the significance of these polls.
Several pressing civic issues are dominating the campaign. In Mumbai, problems such as waterlogging during the monsoon season, traffic congestion, overcrowded public transport, and potholes continue to trouble residents. Depleting air quality has also become a key concern, with various parties promising solutions to these long-standing issues.
In addition to these civic concerns, political alliances and promises have played a significant role in shaping the election discourse. The Thackeray cousins have reunited after years of estrangement, while in western Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar has formed an alliance with the NCP (SP) for Pune, Parbhani, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The alliances are expected to influence the dynamics of the election and determine the eventual outcomes.
Amid these challenges, the key political alliances have rolled out their promises. The Mahayuti coalition has promised a 50% concession for women on BEST bus travel, while the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance has pledged a ₹1,500 monthly allowance for women domestic workers. These promises have become key talking points for voters, as political parties seek to address the immediate needs of residents while pushing their broader electoral agendas.
The elections will be closely watched not only for the outcome in the BMC but also as a gauge of public sentiment ahead of future state and national elections.
With a total of 3.48 crore voters expected to participate, the municipal corporation elections on January 15 are set to be a high-stakes event for Maharashtra’s political landscape. As the polling day approaches, the eyes of the state are fixed on the outcome, with party alliances and voter concerns making this one of the most anticipated electoral battles in recent memory. Results will be declared on January 16, and the political future of several key municipalities will be decided.
