Mumbai Votes Today: BMC Polls 2026 - Timings, Results, and Key Contenders

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Maharashtra is set to vote today in the highly anticipated elections to 29 municipal corporations, with Mumbai at the forefront of the competition. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has emerged as a crucial battleground, as the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance faces off against the united Thackeray front for control of the financially powerful civic body. Polling for 2,869 seats across 893 wards will begin at 7:30 am and continue until 5:30 pm. A total of 3.48 crore eligible voters will decide the fate of 15,931 candidates contesting the elections, with Mumbai alone having 1,700 candidates in the fray. Security and counting arrangements are in place, with over 25,000 police personnel deployed across Mumbai to ensure a smooth process. The counting of votes will take place on January 16. The Maharashtra Election Commission has declared a public holiday on January 15 across areas where polling will take place, aiming to boost voter participation and election conduct. This holiday will apply to government offices, semi-government offices, corporations, and banks within the BMC limits. The BMC elections have sparked a three-cornered fight between the BJP-Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS, and Congress-VBA alliances. The undivided Shiv Sena has held majority in the BMC for 26 years, and control of the civic body has been crucial to the Thackeray family's political fortunes. For the BJP, winning the BMC will strengthen its dominance over Mumbai and Maharashtra. As the polls unfold, all eyes will be on Mumbai, where the outcome will have significant implications for the city's politics and governance.