With 117 local bodies, BJP emerges on top as Mahayuti sweeps Maharashtra polls

“This reflects trust in our vision of people-centric development. We remain committed to working with renewed energy to fulfil the aspirations of every citizen across the state,” he wrote on X.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the results reflected people’s “trust in BJP”. “The BJP not only won 129 out of 288 local bodies but also 3,325 councillors out of a total 6,952… In my entire campaign, I sought a mandate on development work. I placed before people the work done and a roadmap for the future. I neither spoke against any leader or party.”

Highly placed sources in BJP said, “Fadnavis claimed 129 based on the party’s own tally 117 and 12 associates from others category.”

In Vidarbha — home turf of Fadnavis, out of 100 local bodies, the Congress won 21,while the BJP emerged victorious in 51.

Congress leader Vijay Waddetiwar, who publicly rejoiced the victory in Vidarbha, tapping his feet to drum beats, said, “Finally, people have shown BJP its place in Vidarbha region. They have been rejected by people and it should be a wake up call for the CM.”

Sunday’s results have given the BJP enough reasons to celebrate: the party has significantly increased its tally from 96 local bodies in 2017, the last time the polls were held in the state. It has also established the BJP, which has been mostly considered an urban party, in the state’s rural areas.

Said Fadnavis, “After the 2014 polls, BJP is no longer an urban party. It has gained acceptance in rural parts as well. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, even when we performed badly, our voter base in rural Maharashtra was intact.”

Ahead of the local body elections, a power tussle was evident between the BJP and its partners. Driven by local adjustments, the ruling allies made serious allegations of corruption against each other, reflecting a strain in ties between Fadnavis and his two Deputy CMs, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

This was also the first local body elections after the two successive splits in the Shiv Sena and the NCP in 2022, 2023 and was being watched to ascertain their grassroot electoral base.

“The people have shown which is the real Shiv Sena,” said Shinde.

Ajit Pawar said, “These elections were not about just victory. It was a certificate from people of Maharashtra for development work. It shows their unwavering commitment to the direction in which the state is heading.”