Maharashtra Civic Polls: Congress Gains, MVA Allies Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) Face Setback

• The BJP secured 1,425 out of 2,869 seats in Maharashtra's 29 municipal corporations, with Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena winning 399.
• Congress emerged as the third-largest party with 324 seats, surpassing its MVA allies Shiv Sena (UBT) (155 seats) and NCP (SP) (36 seats).
• NCP (SP) faced significant losses in its strongholds like Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, while Shiv Sena (UBT) saw its influence shrink outside Mumbai.
• Congress's strong performance in Kolhapur, Chandrapur, and Bhiwandi positions it for a larger share in MVA's future seat-sharing and leadership discussions.
• Analysts suggest the results will force MVA to rethink coordination, with Congress potentially pushing its national agenda and other allies needing to align for pan-Maharashtra reach.

Why It Matters: Congress's strong performance in Maharashtra civic polls reshapes MVA dynamics, challenging Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP).