BMC & Maharashtra Local Elections: 10 Things the Verdict Tells Us

What do the results of the BMC and other local elections mean for politics in Maharashtra and across the country? (Photo: Harsh Sahani/The Quint)

1. BJP Is No. 1

The BJP has established itself as the number 1 party across Maharashtra by bagging 8 municipal corporations. The party is also leading in over 10 zilla parishads. Only the Congress had enjoyed such pan-Maharashtra presence before the saffron party.

The BJP had won the 2014 Assembly elections riding the Modi wave, but it has now proven that it has a solid grassroots-level presence.

2. Fadnavis Has Arrived

CM Devendra Fadnavis’ position has now become stronger as the BJP had fought these elections with him as its face. He not only managed to scoop up eight civic bodies, but most importantly, he helped BJP’s seat share in the BMC grow two and a half times.

During the poll campaign, Modi’s name or image wasn’t visible; it was Fadnavis all the way. The CM crisscrossed the state, just like Modi had toured the country ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. In the process, the Chief Minister held an average of five rallies a day over two weeks.

Also Read: BMC Elections 2017: Both Shiv Sena and BJP Claim The Mayor’s Post!

3. The Tiger Has Competition

The Shiv Sena had failed to perform while at the helm of the BMC, but the party has still managed to fare well in the Mumbai civic polls. Its network of over 200 shakhas and the emotional polarisation of Marathi votes played crucial roles in ensuring this.

The Sena has emerged as the single largest party in Mumbai. The credit for Shiv Sena’s lead goes to Uddhav Thackeray for his strategic and ‘micro’ planning.

But what’s important is that despite the Sena’s good showing in Mumbai, the BJP is not far behind. Clearly, Uddhav Thackeray’s party has serious competition in the form of its alliance partner.

4. Impact on State Govt

The BMC verdict is such that the Shiv Sena and the BJP will have to forge an alliance. Significantly, both parties have claimed the mayor’s post. And with a difference of only three seats between the two, a power tussle may unfold over the next 5 years. So, even if the two parties come together in BMC, the ongoing friction will continue.

The Sena, though, is unlikely to pull out of the BJP-led state government right away. But it may now be tempted to consider the option ahead of the 2019 Assembly elections.

5. Congress Loses Cities

The Congress performed poorly in Mumbai, Pune and all other cities. It has also fared badly in the Zilla Parishad elections. The party is fast losing the opposition mantle in the battle between a dominant BJP and its aggressive ‘ally’ Shiv Sena.

6. Pawar Loses His Bastion

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP has lost its bastion Pune and performed poorly in other cities. The party’s showing in the ZP elections is also dismal. After this setback (and having flirted with the BJP for two years), it will need to work hard to regain credibility.

7. Secular Space Shrinking

The BJP and the Shiv Sena, members of the ruling alliance in the state, have been caught up in a long-running battle. Which has led to the bizarre situation where the BJP is acting like the ruling party and the Sena the opposition. So, the secular, liberal space has shrunk considerably in the last two years. The Congress and the NCP will now be forced to reconsider their decision to fight polls separately.

8. Raj Routed

The MNS, which had emerged as a major force in urban areas five years ago, has been wiped out in these polls. It has only bagged 3 seats in Nashik, where it was the ruling party for the last five years. After this rout, Raj Thackeray will have to go back to the drawing board if he hopes to remain relevant in politics.

9. DeMon Not a Demon

Demonetisation hasn’t hurt the BJP. In fact, if the civic and zilla parishad elections are something to go by, the move has actually boosted the ruling party’s fortunes.

In fact, in local polls held recently in Chadigarh and Odisha as well, notebandi had helped the BJP.

10. Impact on National Politics

Since around 2 crore voters across Maharashtra have delivered their verdict in these elections, the poll results are bound to have implications at the national level. They will obviously boost the BJP’s confidence, which now treats local polls across the country as seriously as Assembly elections.

The election results will also force the Congress to urgently think about a damage control plan, with the party losing relevance across urban centres.