Ready for triple-engine sarkaar: Why BMC voters put faith in BJP-led alliance, end Thackerays hegemony
The results suggested that BMC voters were ready for the triple-engine sarkaar. While the BJP is already in power in the Centre and Maharashtra Assembly, it is now also in power in the BMC as we
Mumbai: After several efforts, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finally won the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on Friday. The party will get its own Mayor in the municipal corporation this time.
Thackerays lose the bastion in BMC
For close to three decades, the BMC had been the bastion of the Thackerays. But this time, they lost control of the BMC to the BJP as well the Siv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The Friday’s results showed that the Mahayuti crossed 114 seats, the halfway mark of 227 member House. While the BJP won 89 seats, Shiv Sena won 29, which meant that the BJP would need strong support from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction to run the municipality.
Thackerays won 71 seats in BMC
On the other hand alliance of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena won 71 seats. Of them, Shiv Sena (UBT) won 65, and MNS won just six seats. While they did well in Mumbai’s Marathi heartland, they failed to do well in neighbouring areas like Navi Mumbai and Thane. While AIMIM improved its tally from 2 to 8, the Congress won 24 seats in BMC this time, as compared to 31 last time.
BMC voters ready for change
The results suggested that BMC voters were ready for the triple-engine sarkaar. While the BJP is already in power in the Centre and Maharashtra Assembly, it is now also in power in the BMC as well. According to ‘The Times of India’, BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar, the mayor, will be from the BJP.
This time, the BMC and rest of Maharashtra civic polls see several unexpected tie-ups. While Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS joined hands for BMC. Both NCP and NCP (SCP) joined hands for Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body elections.