Municipal council elections in Maharashtra are expected to be held between November 15 and 20, while Zilla Parishad elections may follow around December 15-20. Elections for all municipal corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), are likely to take place on January 15, according to sources.
As preparations for the civic polls gain momentum, the BJP has downplayed speculation about a possible reunion between Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying any alliance between the two is unlikely to influence election outcomes. The meeting between the cousins came shortly after Uddhav described his association with Raj as “long-term,” sparking talk of a potential electoral partnership.
The current ruling Mahayuti alliance includes the BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena, while Uddhav’s party is part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance alongside Congress and NCP (SP). Before the 2022 split in the Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena, the party had controlled the BMC for over two decades.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has approved the final ward boundaries for the upcoming BMC elections. The finalized structure was published in the Maharashtra government gazette and uploaded on the BMC’s official website on Monday.
A total of 492 suggestions and objections were received from citizens before the September 4 deadline. The SEC reviewed these between September 11 and 13 before finalizing the ward formations. Earlier, a draft delimitation notification had been published on August 22, detailing the proposed boundaries and inviting public feedback.
