BMC Elections LIVE: Voting for 29 municipal corporations has commenced at 7:30 am on Thursday. The spotlight is on Mumbai, where the BJP-led Mahayuti faces a high-stakes battle against the united Thackeray faction for control of the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
This BMC election is significant as it marks the Shiv Sena's first civic poll since its 2022 split, when Eknath Shinde broke away with most MLAs, along with the party's name and symbol. The undivided Shiv Sena had held power in the BMC for 25 years.
Polling for 2,869 seats across 893 wards will take place from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm on January 15, with counting scheduled for January 16. Around 3.48 crore voters will decide the fate of 15,931 candidates, including 1,700 in Mumbai and 1,166 in Pune. In Mumbai alone, over 25,000 police personnel will be deployed to ensure smooth polling and counting.
Except for Mumbai, the remaining 28 municipal corporations have multi-member wards. These elections come after a gap of more than six years, as the terms of these civic bodies expired between 2020 and 2023. Nine of the 29 corporations fall within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), India's most urbanised belt.
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“Hopefully, whoever wins will hold the elections on time. This is very important for the country, for democracy. But given the state of our city in the last few days, the hope is that things will improve. I’ve stopped asking people to vote. What I’m seeing here is that there’s hardly any public presence. There are more officials inside, it’s so shameful. Every Indian should feel pain seeing this. If we don’t take care of our country, if we don’t take responsibility for it, then what’s happening will continue to happen. First of all, the air and water should be clean, the basic necessities for human life.”
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“I urge everyone to come out and vote. Just like I came this morning to vote. If you want security, progress, clean air, and pothole-free roads in Mumbai, then we all have to take responsibility and vote. Only by exercising your right to vote will you be able to make Mumbai, which I believe is the best city in the world, even better. I request all the citizens of Mumbai to come and vote for the right people.”
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“It is a great privilege to have the opportunity to vote, and I would encourage and request everyone to exercise their franchise and come out in large numbers. Local issues are extremely important, and I’m glad we are having a BMC election. I’m looking forward to the new administration.”
Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Wife Cast Vote
Shiv Sena's Shaina NC Says
“The voting will begin with the blessings of Maa Mumba Devi and Shri Siddhivinayak. I urge every Mumbaikar to cast their vote because it is a quality of democracy that empowers you to voice your questions.”
She adds, “The opposition is finding excuses for its defeat, with EVMs, Election Commission, ED, CBI. Mumbaikars will only vote for development. The mayor of Mumbai will be a Marathi manus, a Hindu, and the one whose heart beats for this city and wants to work for it.”
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RSS Chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat has arrived to cast his vote at the Bhauji Daptari NMC School in Mahal.
BMC Election Voting Today Live Updates: Polling Commences
Polling has begun across Mumbai’s 227 wards, with 1,700 candidates in the fray. The BJP is contesting 137 seats, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena 90, and the NCP 94 independently. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded 163 candidates, while the Congress has 143, the MNS 52, and the VBA 46.