In a significant political triumph, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attributed the success of the BJP-led Mahayuti in the municipal elections to its robust development agenda. He emphasized that for the BJP, Hindutva and development are intertwined, stating, “Hindutva has always been our soul; one cannot differentiate our Hindutva from development.”
BJP’s Civic Poll Victory: Strengthening Hindutva and Development Links
Fadnavis extended his gratitude to the citizens of Maharashtra for what he called a grand victory in the recent municipal elections. He announced that the BJP and Mahayuti would establish 25 mayors following the electoral results. The alliance focused on governance and infrastructure as central themes in its campaign. “We approached these elections with a vision of development under the leadership of PM Modi,” he noted, highlighting the overwhelming mandate received.
Election Results Highlights
- The BJP-Shiv Sena Mahayuti led in most municipal corporations across Maharashtra.
- In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the alliance was ahead in 130 out of 227 seats, surpassing the majority mark of 114.
- The BJP became the largest party with 93 seats; its ally, Shiv Sena, was leading with 27 seats.
- The last BMC elections were held in 2017, marking an eight-year gap before this latest poll.
- Mumbai will welcome a new mayor following the end of Kishori Pednekar’s term in March 2022.
Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar remarked that the BMC election results reflected the citizens’ endorsement of the alliance’s development agenda. He stated, “This mandate has been given for the development of Mumbai,” citing major infrastructure projects such as the Metro Rail Network and Coastal Road as pivotal to the public’s support.
Strong Performance Statewide
Besides Mumbai, the BJP also secured strong leads in other essential civic bodies. In the Pune Municipal Corporation, the BJP was leading in 90 out of 165 seats, while the NCP held 20. The Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT) alliance led in 10 seats, with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena occupying two.
The Mahayuti coalition also secured majority positions in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, Jalna, and Vasai-Virar based on the trends.
Following the impressive results, CM Fadnavis reached out to celebrated party leaders, including state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan and Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam. Minister Nitesh Rane expressed excitement over the developments, indicating the Mahayuti alliance’s preference to secure mayoral positions across various municipal corporations.
The elections took place on Thursday, with counting conducted on Friday, marking a significant chapter in Maharashtra’s civic governance landscape.
