Maharashtra civic polls: Results today as Mahayuti and MVA lock horns in Vidarbha, Baramati

File photo

Vote counting for elections to municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra will begin at 10 am on Sunday, a day after polling concluded. The elections were held in two phases—on December 2 and December 20—to choose representatives for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats across the state.

Acoording to a report by News18, the polls took place amid reports of violence, bogus voting, and alleged cash distribution in certain areas. Despite these issues, voting for the remaining seats—including the posts of presidents and members in 23 civic bodies and 143 vacant member positions—concluded at 5.30 pm on Saturday.

The civic elections are seen as a direct contest between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The Mahayuti includes the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, while the MVA comprises Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) and Sharad Pawar’s NCP.

Early trends indicate an advantage for the Mahayuti in several regions. In Vidarbha, the BJP is contesting all 27 municipal councils, facing Congress in 18 of them. The alliance is also showing gains in urban centres, including parts of Nagpur, the report added.

Several traditional opposition strongholds have seen tough contests. In Sillod, where Congress had won 24 of 28 seats in 2019, and in Tuljapur, an NCP bastion with 13 of 23 seats earlier, the contests have been closely watched. Prominent civic bodies that went to the polls include Baramati in Pune district and Ambernath in Thane district.

As per the report, the Mahayuti is looking to build on its strong performance in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, where it won 235 seats with a vote share of nearly 50 per cent. In contrast, the MVA secured 49 seats and faced difficulties in several multi-cornered contests.

Voters and political observers can track real-time updates and results on the official websites of the Maharashtra State Election Commission at mahasec.maharashtra.gov.in and mahaseclec.in.

Sunday’s counting is being seen as a curtain-raiser for the next major political test in the state. The State Election Commission has announced that elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and 28 other municipal corporations will be held on January 15, with counting scheduled for January 16.

A total of 2,869 seats will be contested in these elections, with around 3.48 crore voters eligible to vote. The upcoming civic polls, especially the BMC election, are expected to be closely fought amid intense rivalry and allegations of vote manipulation.