In the aftermath of a commanding victory in Maharashtra’s local body elections, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked Bharatiya Janata Party leaders to exercise restraint and avoid sharp public attacks on allies, even amid unresolved seat-sharing issues.
According to sources, the BJP’s core leadership met at the Chief Minister’s official residence late Sunday to assess the party’s performance in the civic polls. While the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance delivered a sweeping result, Fadnavis reportedly flagged setbacks in several municipal councils and nagar panchayats, including areas represented by BJP MLAs, and called for improved performance in future local contests.
Emphasis on alliance discipline
Fadnavis cautioned party leaders against aggressive rhetoric targeting alliance partners—Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party headed by Ajit Pawar—during campaign periods. The advice comes despite recent “friendly fights” among allies as negotiations over seat-sharing failed to conclude smoothly in several pockets.
The Mahayuti alliance dominated the elections across 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, clinching 207 president posts collectively and limiting the opposition bloc—Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP)—to 44. Of the alliance tally, the BJP secured 117 president posts, the Shinde-led Sena 53, and the NCP 37. In the opposition camp, the Congress emerged as the strongest performer with 28 wins.
Sena’s strong showing reshapes equations
A key takeaway from the results was the performance of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which contested directly against the BJP in multiple seats for the first time since the party split in 2022. Despite being the junior partner, the Sena posted a higher strike rate than the BJP and expanded beyond its traditional Konkan and Thane bases into rural and semi-urban regions.
Shinde hailed the outcome as validation of his leadership, saying the party’s reach now spans the state “from Chanda to Banda.” The results have strengthened his hand ahead of negotiations for upcoming civic contests.
Looking ahead to BMC
Calling the local body verdict a “trailer,” Fadnavis said the results signal what could unfold in the forthcoming municipal corporation elections. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls—scheduled for mid-January—are expected to be a prestige battle, particularly between the two Sena factions following the 2022 split.
With the Sena having dominated BMC politics for nearly three decades, the latest results have set the stage for intense bargaining within the ruling alliance and a tough road ahead for the opposition as Maharashtra heads into its next major civic showdown.
