Akola Mayor & Deputy Mayor: BJP Sweeps Both Posts, Uddhav Thackeray’s Candidate Defeated

Nagpur, Maharashtra: In a significant political development in Akola, the BJP has secured victories for both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts in the Akola Municipal Corporation. In the elections held on Friday, Sharda Khedkar of the BJP was elected Mayor, while Amol Goge was chosen as Deputy Mayor. The contest saw Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress candidates losing out, with AIMIM councillors remaining neutral and NCP members extending support to the BJP.

BJP Claims Decisive Victory:
Sharda Khedkar won the Mayor’s seat with 45 votes against 32 votes secured by her rival candidate. BJP’s win was bolstered by support from councillors across party lines. The BJP candidate received backing from 38 BJP councillors, three from NCP (SP), one each from NCP Ajit and Shiv Sena, and two independent councillors. One independent councillor, Ashish Pavitrakar, who had previously joined Congress in protest against BJP, ultimately supported Khedkar. Meanwhile, three AIMIM councillors chose to remain neutral. NCP councillors cited the city’s development as the reason for supporting the BJP.

Congress Candidate Falls Short:
Congress candidate Azad Khan Aliyar received 32 votes and lost to Amol Goge for the Deputy Mayor post. In the 80-member Akola Municipal Corporation, BJP holds 38 seats, Congress 21, Shiv Sena (UBT) six, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) five, AIMIM and NCP (SP) three each, and Shiv Sena and NCP one seat each. Akola Municipal Corporation comprises 20 wards.

The results mark a clear victory for BJP in Akola, while the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Congress faced setbacks. Earlier, results for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Mumbai BMC, were declared on 16 January 2026.