Maharashtra Civic Polls: Mahayuti Dominates, Thackeray Fails to Save BMC

• The BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) Mahayuti secured a decisive victory in the Maharashtra civic elections, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
• Mahayuti won 118 seats in BMC, with BJP as the single largest party (89 seats); the Mayor's post is now a point of contention between BJP and Shinde faction.
• Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray's alliance, focused on Marathi identity, failed to achieve expected success, with Shiv Sena (UBT) getting 65 seats and MNS 6.
• Mahayuti established dominance in 23 out of 29 municipal corporations across the state, including major cities like Pune, Nagpur, and Navi Mumbai.
• The development agenda, emphasizing infrastructure projects and the 'double-engine government' narrative, proved more effective than identity politics.

Why It Matters: Mahayuti's strong performance in Maharashtra civic polls signals a shift towards development agenda and strengthens their urban political grip.