BJP-led Mahayuti surges ahead in Maharashtra local body polls

Mahayuti surges in Maharashtra civic polls, with BJP leading in 133 local bodies as the opposition struggles to keep pace

PGurus Newsdesk

December 21, 2025

Trends from Maharashtra local body elections show BJP-led Mahayuti firmly ahead

BJP alliance tightens grip on grassroots politics in Maharashtra

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has taken a commanding lead in the elections to 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats across Maharashtra, dealing a significant blow to the opposition in the state’s semi-urban and rural heartland.

According to trends available around 11 am, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in 133 local bodies, while its allies — Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — are ahead in 46 and 34 seats, respectively.

On the opposition side, the Congress is leading in 29 local bodies, followed by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) in six and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) in eight.

First local polls in nearly a decade

Held after almost ten years, the local body elections are being closely watched as a key indicator of political dominance in Maharashtra’s semi-urban and rural regions.

The results come a year after the Mahayuti’s sweeping victory in the 2024 Assembly elections, reinforcing the ruling alliance’s grip on grassroots politics.

Opposition fails to capitalise on rural distress

The outcome is particularly significant given the challenging backdrop of agrarian distress, partial disbursement of the government’s flagship welfare scheme for women, and farmers’ complaints over inadequate financial support — issues the opposition had hoped would translate into electoral gains.

However, the opposition campaign was marked by a lack of coordination and momentum.

While Congress leaders campaigned aggressively in Vidarbha and Marathwada, leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT) were largely absent on the ground, and NCP (SP) leaders restricted their outreach to their own constituencies.

Mahayuti’s aggressive campaign pays off

In contrast, the ruling Mahayuti ran an intensive, statewide campaign, with the Chief Minister personally leading rallies and outreach programmes, including in remote areas.

Despite visible friction within the alliance during the run-up to the polls — including Shiv Sena ministers skipping a cabinet meeting and accusing the BJP of “bullying” — the Mahayuti managed to present a largely united front to voters.

In one public address, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had indirectly reminded the BJP of “alliance dharma”, underlining the internal tensions.

BMC polls next big test

The local body results assume added significance ahead of the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, scheduled for next month.

With the Mahayuti consolidating its position at the grassroots level, the opposition faces mounting pressure to regroup quickly if it hopes to challenge the ruling alliance in Mumbai’s civic battleground.

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