BMC elections 2026 live updates: Susie Shah of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction on Monday moved the Bombay High Court, challenging rival Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate and former city mayor Kishori Pednekar’s civic poll nomination for allegedly suppressing details about FIRs lodged against her, PTI reported.
However, the court refused, noting that only a few days were left for the civic elections, scheduled on January 15, and said the petition would be taken up for hearing after the polls.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: In fresh remarks, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said that no political party likes a rising leader from the Muslim community as he criticised the Mahayuti and MVA alike. He said parties like Congress, both factions of NCP, and Shiv Sena have always opposed a Muslim leader. “It is good, Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (UBT) or BJP are fighting (the polls) together. But when the issue of Ward came up, then everyone said, No no they can’t win, if they win then we will have more headaches. When state elections will come then this will come forward. I want to tell you all that Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (UBT) or BJP, none of them likes the rising of a leader from Muslim minority community. They don’t like it if a leader is born,” Owaisi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: With just days left for the high-stakes polls in Maharashtra, BJP minister Chandrakant Patil expressed confidence that the BJP-led Mahayuti will retain control of all five municipal corporations in the western part of the state. “We are already confident of winning around 115 seats…not less than 115. The assessment is based on a recent micro-level review of detailed constituency-wise and ward-level assessments conducted by our state BJP president, Ravindra Chavan,” he told news agency PTI in an interview.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: Maharashtra’s State Election Commission (SEC) has asked Chief Secretary Rajesh Agarwal to submit a report on Opposition’s claims that the Ladki Bahin Yojana financial aid would be disbursed to beneficiaries just before civic body polls in Maharashtra, news agency PTI reported. The Ladki Bahin Yojana is a flagship scheme of the state government under which eligible women beneficiaries get a monthly assistance of ₹1,500.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis reportedly slammed political parties for fielding candidates with criminal backgrounds in Pune’s municipal elections. “Pune has a population of approximately 6 lakhs. Why was it necessary to give tickets to people with criminal backgrounds as candidates? Everyone says and believes that crime should be eradicated. I have heard many speeches where it was said that the “Koyta gang” would be eliminated from Pune and crime would be rooted out… But the same people who made these statements are now giving tickets to criminals and even speaking in their support. This is absolutely wrong,” said Devendra Fadnavis, as quoted by ANI.
BMC election 2026 live updates: The BJP candidate from Ward number 3 in Pune reportedly released a manifesto on Sunday. The manifesto, released by BJP’s Aishwarya Surendra Pathare, is tailored to women’s specific needs. “Manifesto is built on four key pillars: women’s health, women’s safety, women’s skill development and women’s empowerment and has been designed keeping in mind the specific needs of women in the Lohegaon and Wagholi areas of East Pune,” she was quoted as saying by PTI.
BMC election 2026 live updates: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi lashed out at both Mahayuti and MVA, pitching for the Muslim community to “develop their own political agency” and vote for a party which will develop organic muslim leadership. “I want to tell you all that Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (UBT) or BJP, none of them likes the rising of a leader from Muslim minority community. They don’t like it if a leader is born,” the AIMIM chief said in a public rally in Jalna on Sunday, reported ANI.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: The number of new real estate projects may see a surge in Mumbai after the BMC poll results are announced, experts have said. The fall in the Mumbai and Pune real estate markets may ease in the first half of 2026, experts said. Read full story here.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray appeared in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park alongside cousin Raj Thackeray as the two tried to make a pitch to the Marathi manoos ahead of BMC polls. He urged Mumbaikars to back them to “save Mumbai”.
“If you make a mistake now, you will lose the chance to remain relevant,” he warned, appealing to Marathi-speaking voters.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: Eknath Shinde expressed confidence over the BJP’s victory in Mira Bhayandar, predicting a fate like that of Mumbai and Thane, in the civic body polls. “Balasaheb loved Mira Bhayander. Mumbai is saffron, Thane is saffron and now Mira Bhayander will also be saffron,” Shinde was quoted as saying by PTI.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Ajit Pawar exchanged barbs, as cracks within the ruling Mahayuti alliance surfaced. Fadnavis said that the BJP and Pawar’s NCP had agreed on “friendly” contests despite both parties fighting separately in the BMC polls.
He was reacting to Ajit Pawar’s criticism of the BJP during a press briefing in Pimpri. Later, Ajit Pawar defended his remarks saying he was only pointing out the flaws in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and trying to deliberately criticise the BJP. Read full story here.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: The NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar will go solo in the upcoming Thane Municipal Corporation elections, a party leader said on Sunday. NCP leader Aditi Tatkare reportedly said that the solo contest decision was taken after a lack of expected seat allocation for the party within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
“After the elections were announced, we made sincere efforts to secure the appropriate number of seats within the Mahayuti. However, the negotiations were yielding fewer seats than expected,” she was quoted as saying by PTI.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: Raising the pitch for the Marathi ‘manoos’ and the Marathi language in Mumbai, MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday said he would “kick” anyone who tried to impose Hindi in the state. “People from UP and Bihar should understand that Hindi is not your language. I don’t hate the language… But if you try to impose it, I’ll kick you. They’re coming from all sides to Maharashtra and snatching away your share… If land and language are gone, you will be finished. Today, this crisis has arrived at your doorstep,” Raj Thackeray was quoted as saying in an ANI report.
BMC elections 2026 live updates: The ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra released its poll manifesto for the BMC polls on Sunday. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who launched the manifesto announced the addition of 10,000 BEST buses on Mumbai’s roads.