BJP-Shinde Sena set to sweep elections to BMC, say exit polls

After polling concluded, three exit polls said the BJP would emerge as the single-largest party in Mumbai. Axis-My India projected the BJP and the Shiv Sena of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde to win 131-151 of the 227 seats in the civic body, with the Sena (UBT) and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) ending up with 58-68 seats and 6-12 seats going to others. The JVC exit poll showed BJP-Sena at 138 seats, the Thackerays and the NCP (SP) at 59, and the Congress-Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) alliance at 23, with 7 going to others. The exit poll by regional news channel Saam TV put the BJP-Sena at 119, the Sena (UBT) and the MNS at 75, and the Congress-VBA alliance at 20, with 8 for others.

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If the results are as the exit polls suggest, Mumbai may get its first BJP mayor on Friday. It will also mark the end of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena’s three-decade run at the BMC, the richest civic body in the country. Uddhav’s party has been known as the Shiv Sena (UBT) since the split in 2022. That year, in March, the BMC’s elected house completed its term, following which the civic body was run by an administrator.

“We were confident of sweeping the BMC polls. Our mandate was on development work done under the able leadership of PM Narendra Modi and CM Devendra Fadnavis for Mumbai,” said state BJP president Ravindra Chavan.

The PRAB exit poll projected the BJP to emerge as the leading party in Pune with 93 out of 165 seats. The NCP led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and the NCP (SP) led by his uncle Sharad Pawar, which joined hands to keep out the BJP, are projected to win 51 seats, while 8 are projected to go to the Congress, 7 to the Sena (UBT), and 6 to the Sena led by Shinde.

According to Saam TV, the BJP is expected to win 70 seats in Pune, while the NCP and the NCP (SP) together could bag 65.

Ink row

Earlier in the day, as several voters in Mumbai claimed that the indelible ink on their fingers got washed away, the Opposition targeted the BJP and the Sena, and SEC Dinesh Waghmare.

While Uddhav called for Waghmare’s suspension, MNS president Raj Thackeray targeted the state government and blamed the marker pens used by the SEC. “Now, the only option left is to apply the ink, go outside, wipe it off, and then go back inside and vote again … This shows that the government can do anything to stay in power,” he alleged.

“The management of the #BMCElection2026 this time raises several questions about accountability and transparency,” Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad posted on X, adding, “The faith of the people in our democratic process must be protected at all costs, but the Election Commission and the BMC seem to be completely unbothered about it.”

Responding to the allegations, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “I have also been marked with a marker. Is it getting erased? The SEC should look into this issue and use something else. They can use oil paint if they want, but the elections should be impartial. But creating a ruckus on everything and raising questions is very wrong.”