The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on the cusp of scripting history in Mumbai’s local politics, emerging as the single-largest party in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and moving steadily towards a first-ever outright victory in India’s richest civic body. Early trends and partial results from the counting of votes on Thursday indicate that the BJP has significantly improved upon its 2017 performance, when it had secured 82 seats. Currently, the BJP is leading in 90 wards across Mumbai. The BJP is contesting the polls as part of the Mahayuti alliance, along with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The Shinde faction has also put up a strong show, leading in around 28 wards. Together, the Mahayuti bloc has reportedly crossed the majority mark in several trend reports, with leads in over 125 wards. A total of 114 seats are required to secure a clear majority in the BMC. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates In contrast, the opposition Shivshakti alliance—comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)—has lagged behind. Depending on the phase of counting, the alliance has been leading in roughly 66 to 85 seats. The Congress is ahead or has won in about 15 wards, while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP is confined to a handful of seats, with independents and smaller parties accounting for around eight to nine wards. If current trends translate into final results, the BJP-led alliance is set to install its first-ever mayor in the BMC, ending decades of Shiv Sena dominance over Mumbai’s civic body. Despite its growing footprint in Mumbai over the years, the BJP has never previously managed to gain full control of the BMC, either independently or through an alliance. The civic elections were held on January 15 after prolonged delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, delimitation-related disputes and administrative hurdles. Voter turnout stood at around 52.94 per cent, according to State Election Commission data. The BJP–Shiv Sena (Shinde) alliance campaigned under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, focusing on a development-oriented agenda. The campaign highlighted infrastructure projects, slum redevelopment, cleanliness initiatives and urban governance reforms undertaken by the Mahayuti government. Local civic issues such as pothole-free roads, water supply and action against encroachments featured prominently in the campaign. The ruling alliance also countered opposition attacks, including allegations of being an “anti-Marathi establishment” raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray. The focus on civic delivery and governance appears to have resonated with voters across several parts of the city. Until 2017, the undivided Shiv Sena had held sway over the BMC for decades, often leading or dominating coalitions. Although the BJP emerged as the single largest party in 2017, its alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena prevented a complete takeover. The political landscape changed significantly after the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena, with the Eknath Shinde faction aligning with the BJP, tilting the balance decisively in the saffron party’s favour. As counting progressed on Thursday, celebratory scenes were reported outside BJP offices in Mumbai, with senior leaders, including Ashish Shelar, thanking voters for their support. The opposition raised some concerns over the counting process in pockets, but these appeared to have limited impact on the overall outcome. The Mahayuti’s strong performance in Mumbai mirrors its showing across other municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Pune, Nagpur and Thane, reinforcing the alliance’s dominance in urban centres following the state assembly elections. The final official results from the State Election Commission are awaited, but current trends point to a landmark moment in Mumbai’s civic politics, with a BJP-led administration poised to take charge of the BMC and potentially reshape the city’s governance priorities in the years ahead.
16 January,2026 06:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentChief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that the BMC Election 2026 results show Maharashtra relies on PM Modi's vision of development. CM Fadnavis along with top Maharashtra BJP leaders, addressed party workers at the BJP office in Mumbai after the party won record seats in Mumbai. "We contested these elections with a vision of development under the leadership of PM Modi. That is why we got a record-breaking mandate in these elections. These results have clarified that Maharashtra relies on PM Modi's development agenda," CM Fadnavis said. He added that Mumbai will get a Mahayuti mayor. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates Earlier to his address, CM Fadnavis wrote on X that the BJP created political history on Friday by emerging as the single largest party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, ending nearly three decades of dominance by the undivided Shiv Sena. LIVE | महानगरपालिका निवडणूक 2025-26 भाजपाच्या महाविजयानिमित्त जल्लोष🕠 संध्या. ५.४१ वा. | १६-१-२०२६📍मुंबई.@BJP4Maharashtra#Maharashtra #MunicipalCorporationElection #BMCElection https://t.co/OCdOGJR4dN — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) January 16, 2026 As per the trends, the BJP-led alliance is set to win around 125 of the 227 seats in the BMC, India’s richest civic body, which has an estimated budget of Rs 74,427 crore for 2025–26. Vote Counting and Turnout Counting of votes for elections to Mumbai and 28 other municipal corporations across Maharashtra was held on Friday, a day after polling recorded a turnout of 54.77 per cent. With a strong performance by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, the BJP is now well placed to control the cash-rich Mumbai civic body. Thackeray reunion fails to deliver positive results The high-profile BMC contest saw Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray reunite after nearly two decades in an attempt to regain political ground in Mumbai. However, early results indicated that their strategy failed to halt the BJP’s surge. For years, the BMC was seen as an unassailable stronghold of the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. The latest outcome marks a major shift in Mumbai’s political landscape. Fadnavis emerges as key political figure CM Fadnavis has emerged as the central figure behind the BJP’s success. Under his leadership, the party has surpassed its previous best performance of 82 seats in the 2017 BMC elections.
16 January,2026 06:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentVote counting for the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections on Thursday is still underway. The final results are yet to be declared. While the early trends suggest a competitive contest as major parties maintain leads across several wards, the Mahayuti alliance, which consists of BJP and Shiv Sena, now has a significant lead over the Shivshakti alliance. So far, out of the total 122 seats in the civic body, both the BJP and Shiv Sena have secured 28 seats each, underscoring their strong presence across Kalyan and Dombivli. The results till 4:30 pm point to a clear majority for the Mahayuti alliance. The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) till 4:30 pm has managed to clinch victory on just two seats, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) emerged winner with four seats, signifying a very limited footprint in the Kalyan-Dombivli municipal corporation. Separate counting centres in Kalyan and Dombivli Separate counting centres have been set up in Kalyan and Dombivli to facilitate the vote counting process across the municipal corporation. As reported, strict entry norms were enforced at the Patkar School counting centre in Kalyan. Furthermore, the media was also reportedly denied entry, and police personnel asked the visitors to deposit their mobile phones outside before being allowed inside the premises, citing security reasons. Tight security measures in Dombivli were also in place around the DNC School counting centre, where shops within nearly 100 metres were kept closed as a precaution. Heavy crowd near Savlaram Ground in Dombivi While the situation did look fine, heavy crowds were witnessed near the Savlaram Ground and Municipal Ground counting centres. As reported, party workers and supporters gathered to follow the counting process. Apart from this, other parts of the municipal corporation continued to experience a smooth counting process, with no major disruptions. Decent voter turnout at KDMC While the voter turnout on the day of elections was quite low during the first half, the participation did improve as the day progressed, particularly after 3 pm. Long queues were seen outside several polling booths in Kalyan-Dombivli during the afternoon hours. By 3.30 pm on Thursday, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) had experienced a total voter turnout of 40.07 per cent.
16 January,2026 05:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe results of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections were officially declared on Friday, highlighting significant wins for the Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray’s faction (UBT) across the 227 wards.Winners have begun to emerge in the BMC elections as counting continues across Mumbai wards. Tejaswini Ghosalkar of the BJP has won from Ward 2, while Asha Kale of the Congress secured victory in Ward 183 (Dharavi). Sunil More registered a win for Shiv Sena (UBT – Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) from ward 123. Meanwhile, the BJP–Shinde Sena alliance appears to be heading towards capturing control of the BMC. In Ward 214 (Tardeo), BJP’s Ajay Patil has been declared the winner. Shiv Sena (UBT) has also posted key wins, with Nishikant Shinde winning Ward 194 and Milind Vaidya securing victory in Ward 182 (Mahim). Winners announced in Mumbai elections Shiv Sena – Shinde faction winning candidates Ward 1 – Rekha Yadav Ward 4 – Mangesh Pangare Ward 51 – Varsha Tembvalkar Ward 146 – Samruddhi Kate Ward 147 – Pragya Sadafule Ward 148 – Anjali Naik Ward 156 – Ashwini Matekar Ward 163 – Shaila Lande Ward 166 – Minal Sanjay Turde Ward 209 – Yamini Jadhav Total: 10 BJP winning candidates Ward 2 – Tejaswini Ghosalkar Ward 3 – Prakash Darekar Ward 9 – Shivanand Shetty Ward 20 – Deepak Tawde Ward 21 Leena Deharkar Ward 22 Himanshu Parekh – BJP Ward 36 – Siddharth Sharma Ward 50 – Vikram Rajput Ward 52 – Preeti Satam Ward 60 - Sayali Raghunath Kulkarni Ward 97 – Hemlata Gala Ward 104 – Prakash Gangadhare Ward 105 – Anita Vaiti Ward 106 – Prabhakar Shinde Ward 126 – Archana Bhalerao Ward 135 – Navnath Ban Ward 151 - Kashish Raja Fulwariya Ward 172 – Rajshree Shirwadkar Ward 207 – Rohidas Lokhande Ward 214 – Ajit Patil Ward 215 – Santosh Dhale Total: 21 Shiv Sena (UBT) – Thackeray faction winning candidates Ward 32 – Geeta Bhandari Ward 37 – Yogita Kadam Ward 38 - Surekha Parab Ward 40 - Tulshiram Dhodiya Ward 41: Adv. Suhas Vithal Badkar Ward 59 - Yashodhar Phanse Ward 87 – Pooja Mahadeshwar Ward 123 – Sunil More Ward 124 – Sakina Ayub Sheikh Ward 182 – Milind Vaidya Ward 185 – Jagdish Thevalpeel Ward 193 – Hemangi Varlikar Ward 194 – Nishikant Shinde Ward 200 – Urmila Panchal Ward 210 – Sonam Jamsudkar Total: 15 Congress – Winners Ward 33 – Qamar Jahan Moin Siddiqui Ward 150 - Vaishali Ajit Shendekar Ward 165 – Ashraf Azmi Ward 183 – Asha Kale Total: 4 AIMIM – Winners Ward 145 – Khairunnisa Hussein Ward 134 – Mehjabin Khan Ward 136 – Jameer Qureshi Ward 137 – Sameer Patel Total: 4 Samajwadi Party – Winners Ward 201 – Iram Siddiqui Total: 1 BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates BMC Election 2026 Results: Parties and the number of winning candidates ● Shiv Sena UBT (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) – 15 Winning candidates● Congress – 4 Winning candidate● BJP – 21 Winning candidates● Shiv Sena – 10 Winning candidates The results underscore the fragmented yet competitive nature of Mumbai’s municipal elections, with multiple parties vying for influence in the city’s 227 wards. As political dynamics evolve, parties are likely to focus on consolidating their positions and addressing local governance issues such as infrastructure, public health, and civic services. In the Mumbai civic body, whose annual budget is over Rs 74, 400 crore, elections were held after a four-year delay. These were the first BMC polls since the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena when Eknath Shinde, now Deputy Chief Minister, broke away with a majority of the party's MLAs and allied with the BJP to become the chief minister. The undivided Shiv Sena held sway over India's richest civic body for 25 years (1997-2022). As per current trends, the BJP–Shiv Sena Mahayuti alliance is leading in 118 wards. The Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS-NCP (SP) alliance is ahead on 65 seats. The Congress is leading in 11 wards.
16 January,2026 05:21 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance edges closer to a massive victory in the BMC election 2026, BJP national secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga stirred fresh political chatter with a sarcastic post on his official X account by mocking the Shivshakti alliance leaders Raj Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray. Ideological differences will always exist, but the Thackerays are not our enemies.Ordered 3 Ras Malai at Matoshree for Uddhav Saheb Thackeray, Raj Thackeray & Aditya Thackeray. Hope you enjoy it. pic.twitter.com/Bsrz41LD7h — Tajinder Bagga (@TajinderBagga) January 16, 2026 BJP leader Tajinder Singh Bagga, while sharing a post on X, said that he had “ordered three rasmalai” for Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, MNS president Raj Thackeray, and Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, adding that “ideological differences would always remain, but the Thackerays are not our enemies.” The post by the BJP leader quickly went viral, drawing sharp reactions across political circles and on social media. The sarcastic post by the BJP leader just when the BJP edges near victory across the local body polls is widely seen as a response to an earlier statement made by MNS chief Raj Thackeray during an election rally at Shivaji Park. Raj Thackeray said ‘Hatao Lungi, Bajao Pungi’ Raj Thackeray, while addressing the people of Mumbai earlier this week, mocked BJP leader K. Annamalai over his comment describing that Mumbai is an international city and does not belong to Maharashtra only. MNS chief Raj Thackeray, while dismissing Annamalai’s remarks, also questioned his right to speak about Mumbai. Taking things a bit too far, Raj Thackeray publicly mocked K Annamalai and said, “Hatao Lungi, Bajao Pungi.” Annamalai’s strong response to Thackeray cousins The Tamil Nadu BJP leader Annamalai, on the 'Rasmalai' jibe, hit back at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's attempts to allegedly "abuse" him while adding that those who criticised his previous remarks on Mumbai were "just ignorant K. Annamalai, while addressing the media the next day, said, "Who are Aditya Thackeray and Raj Thackeray to threaten me? I am proud to be a farmer's son. They have organised meetings just to abuse me. I don't know whether I have become that important." Bagga orders ‘Rasmalai’ at Matoshree Bagga’s post on X is now being interpreted as a political counterpunch following the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance’s strong performance in the civic polls not only in Mumbai but across Maharashtra. Bagga, while sharing a screenshot of the food delivery application, placed the order to Matoshree, the Thackeray family residence. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party Wise Counting Updates
16 January,2026 04:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA voter turnout of 52.94 per cent was recorded in the Mumbai civic polls, down from 55.53 per cent in the last elections in 2017, officials said on Friday. According to data released by the civic body, ward number 114 in suburban Bhandup recorded the highest turnout at 64.53 per cent, while ward number 227 in south Mumbai's Colaba area reported the lowest turnout at 20.88 per cent. Of the over 1.03 crore eligible voters in the metropolis, 52.94 per cent exercised their franchise on Thursday between 7.30 am and 5.30 pm, they said. Over 15 hours after the polling, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has declared the final voter turnout. Officials said counting of votes will start at 10 am at 25 designated counting centres across Mumbai. The turnout on Thursday showed a steady rise, with 6.98 per cent voting till 9.30 am, 17.73 per cent till 11.30 am, 29.96 per cent till 1.30 pm and 41.08 per cent till 3.30 pm, officials said. The election to the 227-member BMC, which governs India's richest municipal corporation with a budget of Rs 74,400 crore, is being held after a long gap, making it a key political contest. Nearly 1,700 candidates are in the fray this time. The last BMC polls were held in 2017 with a voter turnout of 55.53 per cent, and the term of the elected body ended in March 2022. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates Complaints galore of missing names, clueless voters searching for changed polling stations Meanwhile, elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday, held after nine years, witnessed numerous complaints of electoral roll discrepancies, missing names, and mismatches between online records and physical voter lists, leading to confusion and delays. Election staff and workers of political parties involved in the process too echoed voters' grievances, with many claiming that voter lists provided to them carried poorly printed photographs, making verification difficult and time-consuming. Senior citizens and disabled voters faced problems due to the absence of volunteers to assist them, inadequate signage, missing booth numbers on voter slips and a lack of guidance at polling centres. Several voters as well as opposition leaders including MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray alleged that the indelible ink used during the polling could be easily wiped off using sanitiser, acetone or even water, raising concerns about the possibility of impersonation or multiple voting. Some voters complained that although there was no official ban on carrying mobile phones inside polling stations provided they were switched off, police did not allow them to enter with their phones. At some polling stations, posters stating that mobile phones were not allowed were also seen. In several instances, voters reported that details displayed on the election commission's official app and websites did not match the printed lists available at polling booths. Many voters said their polling booths, which had remained unchanged for years, were either shifted or merged without adequate prior notice, forcing them to go from one help desk to another in search of their names.
16 January,2026 04:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena alliance has managed to extend its lead in the BMC election 2026 as reported early trends show the BJP emerging as the single largest party with leads in 98 seats. With the BJP-SS alliance leading in 125 seats, Shiv Sena is leading in 30. Meanwhile the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS-NCP(SP) alliance seems to have halted in its tracks for now with leads in only 68 wards. While the UBT leads in the alliance with 59 seats, MNS has managed to stay ahead in 9, whereas NCP SP has not managed to secure a lead in any of the seats. Similarly, the NCP led by Ajit Pawar has also not managed to score a seat, sitting at a zero leadd across the 227 wards in Mumbai. The Congress has managed to gain a lead on 14 seats, However, the party's alliance partner for the local polls, the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi, has not managed to open its account in the BMC till now. Meanwhile, across the 28 other municipal corporations the BJP has put up a strong show once again as reported trends showed the party leading in Nagpur, Pune, Thane, Nashik, Shambhajinagar Municipal Corporations. According to preliminary trends, the BJP has is leading in 113 seats out of the 151 in Nagpur. Congress leads in only 30. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates In Pune, the BJP leads in 90 seats, while the NCP-NCP combine failed to materialise much support as the alliance only led in 20 seats. Meanwhile the Congress-UBT alliance in Pune had a combined tally of only 10 seats. In the 131 wards of Thane, BJP is continuing to be the single largest party by leading in 29 seats, whereas the Ajit Pawar NCP only won 4 seats. The UBT-MNS-NCP(SP) alliance combined had a tally of 5 seats. In the Jalgaon, three Kolhe family members; Lalit Kolhe, Sindhutai Kolhe and Piyush Lalit Kolhe shared an emotional moment in Jalgaon after each of them secured a win the Jalgaon Municipal Corporation (JMC) on Friday. The elections for Mumbai's Municipal Corporation were conducted after a gap of eight years, marking a significant civic exercise for Mumbai. The previous BMC elections were held in 2017, while the term of the last elected mayor, Kishori Pednekar, ended in March 2022. With the completion of the polls, Mumbai is set to get a new mayor after nearly four years. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
16 January,2026 04:16 PM IST | Mumbai (Maharashtra) | ANIAs counting continues for the 227 wards of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC expressed confidence that the Mahayuti alliance would emerge victorious in the Maharashtra civic body elections, news agency ANI reported. Her statement comes amid exit poll projections that have predicted a win for the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance, placing the Thackeray brothers’ faction in second position, while the Congress and its allies are expected to deliver a relatively weak performance. Speaking to ANI on Friday, Shaina called the exit polls a "trailer" and hailed the developmental progress made by the ruling alliance in the state. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates "The exit polls are just a trailer; the results will be out in 2 hours. The public has decided the mandate for 29 Municipal Corporations on the basis of development and Eknath Shinde's work of progress...," she elated. Responding to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray's allegations of electoral malpractices, including the alleged removal of the indelible ink, alleged uninformed use of the voting machine, PADU (Printing Auxiliary Display Unit), Shaina questioned the opposition party's repetitive accusations, asking Thackeray to "change his script." "Udhhav Thackeray should change his script writer and find some other excuse... The verdict of loss and win is decided by the public. The message is that the opportunity belongs to those who work on the ground, and those who work from home are made to stay at home...," She stated, reported ANI. BMC Election 2026 Results: Shain NC slams Shiv Sena (UBT) for poor governance She further highlighted Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's efforts made in the state, condemning Shiv Sena (UBT) for failing to develop the state. "In 25 years, they couldn't do anything. However, our DCM, Eknath Shinde, addressed pothole issues in two phases. He put 26 corrupt contractors in jail as well. The previous government could not even provide sewage treatment plants; we provided 7 of them in a timely manner. In terms of development, we provided 5000 electric buses, 435 km of metro connectivity, and environmentally friendly initiatives," she stated. She further said that the Thackeray brothers, who formed an alliance for the BMC elections, should "work from home and stay at home," reiterating Mahayuti's victory, reported ANI. "For those who think that work can be done while sitting at home, this time is for politics and performance, not for earning votes solely on the surname. Our leader, Eknath Shinde, remained dedicated to the common men and worked for them, thereby earning their trust, which the other faction could not," she stated. Counting for more than 200 Municipal wards of the civic body started at 10 AM on Friday. The elections for India's richest corporation were held after a gap of 8 years, with the city set to choose its new mayor from the 227 corporators, who will be elected today. In the 2017 elections, the undivided Shiv Sena had secured 84 seats out of the total 227. While being in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party at that point, the alliance had secured the halfway mark of 114 seats, with the BJP winning 82 seats. The undivided Nationalist Congress party (NCP) had won 9, while Congress won 31. The recently concluded Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recorded a voter turnout of 52.94 per cent, according to the data released by the State Election Commissioner (SEC) on Friday. (With ANI inputs)
16 January,2026 04:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWestern Railway has announced the introduction of 12 new air-conditioned electric multiple unit (AC EMU) services on the Mumbai suburban section, aiming to enhance commuter comfort and improve travel experience on one of the busiest suburban rail networks in the country. The new services include six UP and DOWN trains each, operating between Churchgate and key suburban stations including Virar, Borivali, Bhayander and Goregaon. According to the details released by Western Railway, the newly introduced AC EMU services will operate using 12-car rakes and distributed across peak, mid and non-peak hours to cater to daily Mumbai local commuters. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates UP services (towards Churchgate) In the UP direction, trains will originate from Goregaon, Borivali, Bhayander, and Virar and terminate at Churchgate. Of the six services, three will run as Fast services and three as Slow services. The earliest UP service will depart from Goregaon at 5.14 am, while the last UP service will leave Goregaon at 7.06 pm, reaching Churchgate at 8.01 pm. DOWN Services (towards suburbs) In the DOWN direction, all the six AC EMU services will originate from Churchgate and operate towards Virar, Bhayander, Borivali, and Goregaon. These include two fast services and four slow services. The first DOWN AC EMU will depart Churchgate at 6.14 am, while the last service will leave at 8.07 pm, terminating at Goregaon at 9.02 pm. Route-wise distribution of services The 12 AC EMU services have been distributed as follows:Virar–Churchgate–Virar: Four services Goregaon–Churchgate–Goregaon: Four services Bhayander–Churchgate–Bhayander: Two services Borivali–Churchgate–Borivali: Two services This ensures balanced coverage across the western suburban corridor. Peak and non-peak hour coverage Western Railway has also ensured an even spread of services across time slots. Of the total 12 services:Four trains will run during morning peak hours Four during evening peak hours Four during mid and non-peak hours Both UP and DOWN directions will operate six services each, ensuring consistency throughout the day. Improved comfort for daily commuters All the newly introduced services will operate as fully air-conditioned 12-car trains, halting at major stations including Dadar, Bandra, Andheri, Borivali, and Bhayander, depending on whether the service is Fast or Slow. The introduction of these trains is expected to significantly improve comfort levels for office-goers and long-distance suburban commuters on the western line. With this addition, Western Railway continues to expand its AC suburban services, aligning with its objective of providing safer, faster and more comfortable travel options to Mumbai’s growing suburban population.
16 January,2026 02:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs vote counting continued on Friday for elections to 29 Municipal Corporations across Maharashtra, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Murlidhar Mohol expressed confidence that the party would secure a comfortable majority in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), reported news agency ANI. ‘Pune votes for development,’ says BJP leader “In the early trends, it is clear that the BJP is winning with a full mandate. I have always believed that Pune prioritises development while voting, which is why the BJP is coming to power with a full majority,” Mohol said, reported ANI. BJP leads decisively in Pune civic body According to the latest trends from the PMC polls, the BJP is leading in 49 of the 165 seats, while the NCP alliance is ahead in only six seats. The Congress–Shiv Sena (UBT) alliance is placed third, leading in just four seats. In Nagpur, the BJP is leading in 76 of the 151 seats, while the Congress is ahead in 22 seats. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates Thane trends favour BJP–Shiv Sena alliance Vote counting for the Thane Municipal Corporation also showed the BJP–Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) alliance leading in 21 of the 131 seats, while the NCP (Ajit Pawar) is ahead in six seats. The UBT–MNS–NCP (SP) alliance is also leading in six seats. Allegations raised during BMC vote counting Meanwhile, the vote counting process for India’s richest civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), was marred by allegations raised by the Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance, which were subsequently refuted by the State Election Commission (SEC). Mumbai civic polls held after eight-year gap The civic elections, held after a gap of eight years, marked a significant democratic exercise for Mumbai. The previous BMC elections were conducted in 2017, while the term of the last elected mayor, Kishori Pednekar, ended in March 2022. With the completion of polling, Mumbai is set to get a new mayor after nearly four years. Over 5.47 million voters cast ballots Out of the total 1,03,44,315 voters on the electoral rolls, 54,76,043 exercised their franchise. In absolute numbers, around 29,23,433 men voted across the 277 wards, compared to 25,52,359 women, while 251 transgender voters also cast their votes. Civic control in 2017 elections In the 2017 civic elections, the BJP governed 15 Municipal Corporations, including Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Amravati and Latur. The then undivided Shiv Sena headed civic bodies such as Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli and Ahilya Nagar. The Congress led five municipal corporations—Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Malegaon, Kolhapur, Parbhani and Nanded. (With inputs from ANI)
16 January,2026 02:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentCounting of votes for more than 200 wards of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began at 10 am on Friday. The elections for India’s richest civic body were held after a gap of eight years, with Mumbai set to elect 227 corporators, who will go on to choose the city’s new mayor. 2017 results and past political equations In the 2017 BMC elections, the undivided Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party by winning 84 seats out of 227. At that time, it was in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which secured 82 seats, taking the alliance past the halfway mark of 114 seats. BMC Election Results 2026 LIVE: Ward-wise and Party-wise Counting Updates Performance of Congress and NCP in last polls The undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had won nine seats, while the Congress secured 31 seats in the 2017 polls. Voter turnout stands at 52.94 per cent According to data released by the State Election Commissioner (SEC) on Friday, the recently concluded BMC elections recorded a voter turnout of 52.94 per cent. The elections were marred by allegations raised by the Shiv Sena (UBT)–Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance, which were subsequently refuted by the SEC. Mumbai set to get new mayor after four years The previous BMC elections were held in 2017, while the term of the last elected mayor, Kishori Pednekar, ended in March 2022. With the completion of polling, Mumbai is set to get a new mayor after nearly four years. As per official data, the highest voter turnout was recorded in Ward 114 at 65.53 per cent, while the lowest turnout was reported in Ward 227 at 20.88 per cent. Gender-wise voter participation details Out of a total of 1,03,44,315 voters on the electoral roll, 54,76,043 exercised their franchise. In terms of voter participation, approximately 3.7 lakh more men voted compared to women. A total of 29,23,433 men, 25,52,359 women, and 251 transgender voters cast their votes across the 227 wards. Exit polls predict Mahayuti edge Exit polls have predicted a victory for the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance, with the Thackeray brothers’ alliance finishing second, while the Congress and its allies are projected to trail. Axis My India seat and vote-share projections According to Axis My India’s predictions, the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance is likely to win between 131 and 151 seats, while the Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS–NCP (SP) alliance may secure 58–68 seats. The Congress–VBA–RSP alliance is projected to win 12–16 seats, while others may bag 6–12 seats. Majority mark and alternative exit poll estimates The BMC elections were held for 227 seats, and an alliance or party requires 114 seats to secure a simple majority. Axis My India also released vote-share projections, forecasting a combined 42 per cent vote share for the Mahayuti allies. DV Research offers contrasting projections Meanwhile, DV Research projected that the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance could win between 107 and 122 seats, the Thackeray brothers’ alliance 68–83 seats, the Congress-led alliance 18–25 seats, and others 8–15 seats.
16 January,2026 01:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
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