Politics

Mumbai, January 16, 2026: The counting for over 200 municipal wards in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections began Friday morning at 10 AM. After an eight-year gap, the city is set to elect 227 corporators, who will in turn select a new mayor for India’s richest civic body. Early trends indicate a strong lead for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, prompting Congress to concede defeat. Senior Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi alleged that public trust in the electoral process is declining, accusing the BJP of vote manipulation. Gandhi took to X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The Election Commission misleading citizens is eroding faith in our democracy. Vote theft is an anti-national act.” BJP Responds:The BJP quickly fired back at Rahul Gandhi’s allegations. National spokes...

AMRAVATI/NAGPUR: The Amravati Municipal Corporation elections in Maharashtra are witnessing a tough contest between the BJP, Congress, and the Thackeray brothers’ alliance. Voter turnout stood at 55%, slightly higher than the 2017 elections by just one percent. A total of 661 candidates are in the fray for 87 seats. BJP’s firebrand leader Navneet Rana is emerging as the focal point in Amravati. Early counting indicates the BJP performing strongly in several wards. The BJP is competing against Congress and the Thackeray brothers’ alliance, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP, Shinde’s Shiv Sena, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP have also fielded candidates. Navneet Rana, who had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket and lost to Congress’ Balwant Wankhede, is facing a...

Nagpur: Voting is underway for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections, and the city’s political atmosphere has reached a fever pitch. As campaigning ended on Wednesday, high-stakes contests in several wards have made this election especially competitive. All eyes are now on voter turnout and results. Voter Turnout So FarBy 1:30 PM, voter turnout in Nagpur was recorded at 26.50%, slightly lower than other major cities in Maharashtra: Mumbai: 29.96% Pune: 27% Security arrangements across polling stations have been tightened to ensure peaceful voting, with a strong presence of law enforcement personnel. The elections are being closely watched by major political parties, including BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena factions, and NCP. Several prominent leaders, former councillors, and i...

Mumbai: Political tensions in Maharashtra intensified during voting for 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, as Uddhav Thackeray’s close aide Sanjay Raut accused BJP state president Ravindra Chavan of violating the Model Code of Conduct. Raut took to social media to attack Chavan, saying that the BJP chief “went to cast his vote wearing a lungi with a lotus symbol on his chest.” He questioned the role of the Election Commission, asking whether it was “asleep or compromised” in taking action against the alleged violation. The controversy arose when Chavan, along with his family, voted on Thursday morning at a polling station in Dombivli. Photographs and video footage showed him wearing the BJP election symbol prominently on his chest, an act Raut called a breach of electoral r...

Mumbai: Amid the ongoing voting for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, the state Election Commission has issued a clarification regarding concerns over finger ink smudging and the alleged use of markers instead of traditional ink. The Commission warned that any attempt to tamper with ink on the finger will not allow a voter to cast a second vote, as all voting records are meticulously maintained. The controversy escalated after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray alleged the use of marker pens in place of conventional ink. Actor-turned-politician Rohit Pawar and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also highlighted the issue, claiming that voters’ ink marks were disappearing, raising concerns over election integrity. EC Issues Strong Warning In a statemen...