Political Analysis Civic Polls – 2026
MUMBAI | January 14, 2026 — As Maharashtra prepares for large-scale municipal elections on Thursday, the ruling Mahayuti alliance finds itself navigating not just an opposition challenge but visible internal strains. On the eve of polling, political focus has shifted to tensions within the coalition led by Devendra Fadnavis, with friction emerging between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
Polling will take place across 29 municipal corporations, covering 2,869 seats spread over 893 wards. More than 3.4 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of nearly 16,000 candidates, including a heavy concentration in Mumbai and Pune. Results are scheduled to be declared on January 16.
While the Mahayuti — comprising the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction — has campaigned on a platform of stability and development, recent statements and campaign strategies suggest growing unease within the alliance. The strain became apparent after Ajit Pawar openly acknowledged “friendly fights” and tactical understandings involving rival NCP factions in regions such as Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, a move that has unsettled BJP leaders seeking tighter coordination.
Chief Minister Fadnavis has publicly indicated that while limited competition among allies was anticipated, the expectation of restraint appears to have weakened. Political observers see this as a sign of parallel power centres operating within the ruling coalition, particularly as each constituent party seeks to protect its local base in a fragmented civic contest.
Compounding the Mahayuti’s challenge is the renewed political alignment of cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, whose reunion has injected momentum into the opposition’s campaign. Their partnership has shifted the narrative towards local identity, civic governance, and Marathi pride, especially in Mumbai and surrounding urban centres.
In response, the BJP leadership has intensified its focus on Mumbai, with Fadnavis emphasizing assurances related to the city’s cultural and political identity, alongside development and governance promises. The contest for control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the country’s richest civic body, has thus emerged as both a symbolic and strategic prize.
The Congress has also recalibrated its approach, forging selective alliances with Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and other regional outfits in Mumbai, while contesting independently in cities like Nagpur. These shifting equations have added further complexity to an already crowded political field.
Security arrangements have been significantly tightened ahead of polling, with over 25,000 police personnel deployed across Mumbai to ensure peaceful voting and counting. Except for the state capital, most urban bodies will vote through multi-member wards.
Held after a gap of more than six years in many regions, the civic elections are widely viewed as a barometer of Maharashtra’s evolving political balance. Beyond determining control of municipal bodies, the results are expected to test the durability of the Mahayuti alliance and reveal whether internal contradictions could reshape the state’s political landscape in the months ahead.
