25 December,2025 10:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the BMC, will be held on January 15. File Pic
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that Victory in BMC Elections 2026 will be true tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, reported the PTI.
CM Fadnavis said that hoisting the Mahayuti's flag on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) would be the true tribute to former Prime Minister.
He was speaking at the âAtal Good Governance Conference', organised at the Mumbai BJP office, on the occasion of his birth anniversary.
Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the BMC, will be held on January 15, with the results to be declared on January 16.
Fadnavis said the Mahayuti alliance is determined to form the next government in the Mumbai civic body.
"There is a resolve to establish a Mahayuti government in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and turn the slogan âDarkness will fade, the sun will rise, and the lotus will bloom' into reality," CM Fadnavis said.
He added that the civic elections are being contested with the objective of ensuring transparent, honest and corruption-free governance in the BMC.
The Chief Minister said that Atal Bihari Vajpayee's legacy continues to inspire the nation and that his vision laid the foundation for the âNew India' being shaped under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He noted that Vajpayee gave a new direction to India's foreign policy as external affairs minister, strengthened the economy despite global sanctions following the nuclear tests, and promoted national integration through major infrastructure initiatives.
CM Fadnavis highlighted Vajpayee's role in launching projects such as the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the development of world-class highways, which transformed connectivity across the country.
He also recalled that Vajpayee was the first Prime Minister to address the United Nations in Hindi, bringing global recognition to Indian languages.
Describing Vajpayee as a scholar with deep knowledge of literature and languages, CM Fadnavis said his ideology, resolve and nationalism are being carried forward by Prime Minister Modi, helping India emerge as a leading global power.
"The real tribute to Atalji will be paid on January 16, when the Mahayuti's flag flies atop the BMC," Fadnavis asserted.
The Chief Minister said that although the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link has been named âAtal Setu', there is a collective demand for a grand memorial in Mumbai to honour Vajpayee's memory. He assured that this aspiration would be fulfilled in the future, adding that Vajpayee's life and work remain a lasting inspiration for the nation.
(with PTI inputs)
