Muslim Voting Pattern Shifts in Maharashtra Civic Polls; AIMIM and ISLAM Outshine MVA

Mumbai: The results of the Maharashtra civic body elections have revealed a significant shift in the political behavior of Muslim voters, marking a departure from their long-standing pattern of supporting the strongest anti-BJP गठबंधन. Instead, Muslim voters have shown increasing preference for community-based parties such as Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM and the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra (ISLAM), delivering a major jolt to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Across 29 municipal corporations, the election outcomes largely aligned with expected alliance arithmetic and emerging political equations. However, the altered Muslim voting trend and the मजबूत प्रदर्शन of Muslim-backed parties emerged as the biggest surprise. Until now, Muslim voters in Maharashtra had consistently supported the most formidable BJP विरोधी दल, a trend that was also evident in the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. This time, however, a substantial section of Muslim voters shifted their समर्थन toward AIMIM and ISLAM, signaling a new political realignment.

AIMIM’s Strong Performance Across Civic Bodies

Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM delivered an impressive प्रदर्शन, winning 126 councillor seats across 13 municipal corporations. In contrast, Sharad Pawar’s NCP, one of Maharashtra’s traditional heavyweights, managed only 30 seats. In Mumbai, AIMIM even outperformed the Congress, securing eight seats, including seven wards in Gondiwali. Reports also indicate that in several parts of Mumbai, Muslim voters extended support to Shiv Sena (UBT) as well.

AIMIM’s dominance was particularly visible in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, where it won 33 wards, followed by Nanded-Waghala (15) and Dhule (8). Another striking result came from Malegaon, where AIMIM secured 21 of the 84 seats, while ISLAM emerged as the single-largest party with 35 seats. The Samajwadi Party won five seats. In Malegaon, Shiv Sena managed 18 seats, Congress three, and the BJP was reduced to just two seats.

Malegaon: A New Political Power Centre

Malegaon has now become a city where सत्ता is held neither by the ruling Mahayuti nor by the opposition MVA. The mayor will be elected from the ISLAM–SP alliance, with AIMIM serving as the principal opposition. Three Congress corporators are likely to support the ISLAM–SP गठबंधन. Shiv Sena and the BJP will remain in opposition.

While Muslims constitute around 11.56 percent of Maharashtra’s population, they form a dominant 78 percent in Malegaon. Despite this demographic advantage, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP) failed to build a मजबूत राजनीतिक आधार in the city. Malegaon Central Assembly constituency holds a unique record: since Independence, it has always elected a Muslim MLA, irrespective of the party in power. In both the 2019 and 2024 Assembly elections, the seat was won by AIMIM’s Ismail Abdul Khaliq.

ISLAM Party: Formed to Counter BJP’s Narrative

The Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra (ISLAM) was founded by former Congress MLA Sheikh Asif. He launched the party ahead of the 2024 Assembly elections, stating that it was created to counter public narratives and टिप्पणियाँ that allegedly targeted Islam in political discourse. Although the party failed to make a mark in the Assembly elections, it has emerged as a significant force in the civic polls.

Political analysts argue that ISLAM is not an entirely नई राजनीतिक शक्ति. Instead, it represents a case of “old players in a new party,” as it draws from established political families and networks well known in Malegaon. Its strong civic performance suggests that Maharashtra’s Muslim electorate may be entering a new phase of political assertion, redefining traditional alliance loyalties.