Exit Polls Forecast Overwhelming Mahayuti Victory in Mumbai's BMC Elections
Exit polls released after voting concluded on Thursday paint a clear picture of a massive victory for the Mahayuti alliance in the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. The BJP and Shiv Sena partnership appears poised to secure a commanding majority, comfortably crossing the 130-seat threshold in Asia's wealthiest civic body.
Alliance Projected to Dominate, Opposition Lags
Multiple polling agencies have released their projections, and the numbers tell a consistent story. The Axis My India exit poll estimates the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will win 141 seats. Another major agency, JVC, forecasts a slightly lower but still dominant tally of 138 wards for the Mahayuti combine.
In stark contrast, the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance is projected to fall far behind. Polls place their combined seat count at just over 60. Axis My India projects 63 seats for them, while JVC estimates a similar outcome of 59 wards. The Congress party is expected to secure around 20 seats.
Thackeray Reunion Fails to Gain Electoral Traction
The much-discussed political reunion of estranged Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, after two decades does not seem to have translated into significant voter support. Despite the symbolic importance of their alliance, exit poll numbers suggest it has not resonated enough to challenge the Mahayuti's lead.
High-Stakes Election After Long Delay
These elections carry extra weight due to their delayed nature. The last BMC polls were held back in 2017. The term of the elected corporators officially ended on March 7, 2022. However, the city could not hold fresh elections on schedule.
A combination of factors caused the prolonged delay. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the electoral calendar. Legal battles in the Supreme Court concerning Other Backward Class (OBC) reservations further complicated the process. Issues related to the redrawing of ward boundaries, known as delimitation, also contributed to the postponement. As a result, the BMC has been functioning under an appointed administrator instead of an elected body.
Voter Turnout Figures Reported
Voting took place across Mumbai and 28 other municipal corporations in Maharashtra on Thursday. State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare addressed the media after polls closed at 5:30 PM. He reported that voter turnout across all 29 civic bodies was estimated to be between 46% and 50%.
Commissioner Waghmare noted that nearly 50% polling was recorded in Mumbai specifically. He added that the final, official voter turnout figures would be announced at a later time once all data is compiled and verified.
The results of these exit polls, if confirmed by the actual counting, would mark a significant political shift in Mumbai's civic governance. All eyes are now on the official result declaration to see if these projections hold true.
