Mumbai, January 22:
The political landscape of Maharashtra’s urban governance is set for a crucial development today as the reservation lottery for mayoral posts in Mumbai and 28 other municipal corporations will be announced on Thursday. The draw is scheduled to take place at 11:00 am at the state secretariat (Mantralaya), as per an order issued by the Maharashtra Urban Development Department.
The lottery system will determine which social category the mayor’s post will be reserved for in each municipal corporation. The reservation categories include General, Women, Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). Once the categories are declared, eligible candidates from the respective reserved groups will be able to file their nominations for the mayoral elections.
High Political Stakes
The announcement is being keenly watched by all major political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Congress, as the reservation outcome will directly influence political strategies, leadership choices, and power equations in urban local bodies—especially in Mumbai.
Municipal Corporations Covered
A total of 29 municipal corporations are part of today’s lottery process. These include major civic bodies such as Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Nagpur, Nashik, Vasai-Virar, Solapur, Amravati, Kolhapur, Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) and others, covering all major urban regions of the state.
The reservation category for each corporation will be officially declared after the draw, paving the way for the next phase of mayoral elections.
BJP’s Strong Performance in Civic Polls
The backdrop to this development is the BJP’s strong showing in the 2026 municipal elections, where it won 1,425 out of 2,869 seats across the 29 municipal corporations. Most notably, the party wrested control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), ending the Thackeray family’s three-decade-long dominance over India’s richest civic body.
What Happens Next
Following the declaration of reservation categories, political parties will finalize their mayoral candidates in line with eligibility norms. The lottery outcome is expected to significantly shape alliances, leadership equations, and governance priorities in Maharashtra’s urban centers.
All eyes are now on Mantralaya as today’s draw sets the tone for the next chapter of municipal politics in the state.
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