Mumbai Civic Body Exit Poll: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, are projected to register a decisive victory in the elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), according to four exit polls released after voting concluded. If the predictions hold true, the results could mark a significant political shift in Mumbai’s civic governance.
Mumbai Civic Body Exit Poll
Exit polls suggest that while the reunited Thackeray brothers—Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray—have managed to consolidate Maratha and Muslim votes, the north and south Indian voter base has reportedly voted overwhelmingly in favour of the BJP-led alliance. The surveys also indicate strong support for the BJP among women and young voters, a trend observed in several recent elections.
BJP Poised to Fill Political Vacuum
The BMC, considered Asia’s richest municipal body, has a budget comparable to that of a small Indian state and holds immense political and administrative importance. The civic body was last elected in 2017, when the then-united Shiv Sena retained control, continuing its decades-long dominance over Mumbai’s municipal administration.
However, nearly eight years later, and following the split in the Shiv Sena, exit polls point towards a possible end of the Thackeray-led dominance over the civic body. Analysts say the political division within the Sena may have created a vacuum that the BJP and the Shinde faction appear to have capitalised on.
Thackeray Reunion Under Scrutiny
The reunion of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray after nearly 20 years was widely seen as a strategic move to reclaim the legacy of the undivided Shiv Sena and the political heritage of Bal Thackeray. However, if exit poll projections are accurate, the alliance may have failed to translate symbolism into electoral success at the civic level.
Political observers note that despite emotional appeal and selective vote consolidation, the broader voter base may have favoured governance continuity and political stability offered by the BJP-led alliance.
Caution Over Exit Poll Predictions
Experts have cautioned that exit polls are not always accurate and final outcomes will only be confirmed once official results are declared. Nonetheless, the projections have already sparked intense political debate, given the high stakes involved in controlling Mumbai’s civic administration.
If confirmed, the result would represent a major realignment in Maharashtra’s urban politics, with long-term implications for both state and national political equations.
