Maharashtra Civic Elections 2026: Nagpur in the Spotlight as BJP Faces a Tough Challenge

Nagpur: While all eyes are on the Mumbai BMC elections, political observers are keeping a close watch on Nagpur, home to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters, as the city goes to polls for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation. Here, the stakes are particularly high for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as the results are widely seen as a test of both local governance and the development legacy of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

BJP’s Longstanding Hold under Scrutiny
Nagpur, the headquarters of the RSS, has been a BJP stronghold for many years. With the party dominating at both the state and central levels, there is mounting pressure for a decisive victory in the municipal elections. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a Nagpur native, and Nitin Gadkari, the city’s Lok Sabha MP, add further weight to the political significance of the results.

The city’s municipal corporation comprises 38 wards, with a total of 151 councillor seats. This year, 993 candidates are in the fray, with 2,483,112 voters set to decide their fate.

Congress Still a Factor in Nagpur
Nagpur Municipal Corporation, 78 years old, is divided into 10 zones. In the last elections held in 2017, BJP won 109 out of 151 seats, while Congress secured 29 seats. The remaining seats went to BSP, Shiv Sena, NCP, independents, and others. With 53.72% voter turnout in 2017, the city has often been in the national political spotlight due to the presence of the RSS headquarters.

Though Nagpur is regarded as the Chief Minister’s city and Nitin Gadkari’s bastion, Congress has managed to maintain a foothold. Local BJP operations are led by city president Dayashankar Tiwari, while Congress is headed by former mayor Vikas Thackeray, a prominent figure with deep local roots.

A High-Stakes Battle
Since 2014, even though Gadkari won both the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, his margins have narrowed, indicating Congress’s persistent presence in the city. In this election, the contest is seen as a duel between BJP’s development narrative and Congress’s local leadership under Vikas Thackeray, who has fielded several new candidates with strong grassroots connections.

The Nagpur municipal elections 2026 are expected to be a close fight, with the outcome serving as a key indicator of BJP’s local strength and the city’s political pulse. A strong performance by Congress could significantly challenge BJP’s dominance in this historic political center.

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