This Battle is Not Over: Shiv Sena (UBT) Reacts After BMC Loss
The Shiv Sena (UBT), contesting in alliance with the MNS, won 65 seats
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) [UBT] on Saturday issued its first reaction after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, striking a defiant note and asserting that the political battle in Maharashtra is far from over.
In a post on social media platform X, Shiv Sena (UBT) said, “This battle is not over yet. It will continue until the Marathi person receives the respect they deserve.”
Meanwhile, the BMC elections saw the BJP–Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) alliance emerge as the single-largest bloc. The Shiv Sena (UBT)–Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance also secured a significant share of seats and votes across Mumbai.
According to official figures released by the Election Commission and the BMC, the BJP won 89 seats, polling 11,79,273 votes, which accounted for 21.58 per cent of the total votes cast. Among all winning candidates, the BJP’s vote share stood at 45.22 per cent, making it the single-largest party in the civic body.
Its alliance partner, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), secured 29 seats with 2,73,326 votes, translating into 5.00 per cent of the total vote share. Together, the BJP–Shiv Sena (Shinde) alliance emerged as the largest bloc in the BMC.
On the other side, the Shiv Sena (UBT), contesting in alliance with the MNS, won 65 seats. The UBT-led Sena polled 7,17,736 votes, accounting for 13.13 per cent of the total votes cast. The MNS added six seats to the alliance tally, securing 74,946 votes and a 1.37 per cent vote share.
The Indian National Congress (INC) won 24 seats, polling 2,42,646 votes, which represented 4.44 per cent of the total vote share.
Among other parties, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) won eight seats with 68,072 votes. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) secured three seats, the Samajwadi Party won two seats, and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) won one seat.
Overall, winning candidates from recognised political parties polled 26,07,612 votes, amounting to 47.72 per cent of the total votes cast. The total number of votes polled in the election stood at 54,64,412, while 11,677 voters opted for NOTA.
While Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray sought to consolidate votes around the Marathi language and the Marathi manoos identity plank, the Mahayuti’s focus on development projects, including the Metro Aqua Line and the Coastal Road, helped the saffron alliance gain an edge in the BMC polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the BJP–Shiv Sena-led victory in the Maharashtra civic polls, attributing the win to a “pro-people good governance” agenda. He said the NDA’s vision for development had resonated with the people of the state.
Addressing BJP workers at the party office in Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “After these elections, the BJP and Mahayuti are going to form mayors in 25 municipal corporations.”
