The results of the Maharashtra local body elections have delivered a clear advantage to the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, which secured a dominant share of victories across municipal councils and nagar panchayats in the state. While the ruling coalition celebrated what it called a strong mandate for development-focused governance, Opposition parties voiced concerns over the conduct of the polls, alleging irregularities.

Overall, the Mahayuti alliance — comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party — won 207 of the 288 municipal president posts. In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, managed to secure only 44 posts, highlighting the ruling alliance’s organisational strength at the grassroots level.

Within the alliance, the BJP emerged as the single largest force. The party captured 117 municipal president positions and more than 3,300 councillor seats, amounting to nearly half of all councillors elected. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the performance as historic, pointing out that the BJP had more than doubled its councillor count compared to the 2017 local body elections.

Leaders of the ruling camp attributed the victory to a campaign centred on governance and development rather than personal attacks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the outcome reflected public confidence in “people-centric development,” while state leaders stressed that issues such as infrastructure growth and long-term urban planning resonated with voters.

On the other hand, the Opposition acknowledged the setback but questioned the integrity of the electoral process. Maharashtra Congress president Harshavardhan Sapkal claimed the elections were not conducted in a free and fair manner, while leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged misuse of money power and raised doubts about electronic voting machines. These allegations were firmly denied by the Mahayuti alliance.

Despite the sweeping nature of the results, regional variations were evident. The ruling alliance performed strongly in western Maharashtra, Marathwada, Konkan, and north Maharashtra, but faced pockets of resistance in Vidarbha, where the Congress managed notable wins, particularly in Chandrapur district.

The Ajit Pawar-led NCP also demonstrated its influence in key areas such as Pune district and Baramati, retaining control over several smaller urban centres and reinforcing Pawar’s local political base.

Political analysts view the outcome as a significant morale boost for the Mahayuti ahead of upcoming elections to major municipal corporations, including Mumbai, Pune, Thane, and Nagpur. Often seen as a precursor to larger state-level contests, these local body results give the ruling alliance early momentum as it heads into high-stakes civic battles.