BMC Elections
Counting of votes polled for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Elections 2017 going on at a counting centre in Mumbai.IANS

The Shiv Sena has won 84 seats in the election to the 227-member strong Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) which was held on February 20 while the BJP finished a close second by winning 82 seats. Recounting was underway in two wards till the latest reports came in. The Congress and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena were decimated. The results came out on Thursday (February 23).

The BJP has done well overall in the municipal corporation elections in the state by winning 470 seats. Though it did not win a majority in the BMC, it gave a tough fight to the Shiv Sena, which has dominated the city's civic body for a long period. Uddhav Thackeray's party, which had called off alliance with the BJP for the civic polls in January, failed to cross the halfway mark of 114 seats despite taking a big lead over the BJP early on.

It now remains to be seen who the Shiv Sena befriends to form the civic board as the single largest party. Will the Sena go back to the BJP?

Here are the updates of the day (Feb 23): 

7:23 pm IST: PM Narendra Modi congratulates Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis over civic poll performance.

"Extremely thankful to the sisters & brothers of Maharashtra for reposing their faith in BJP & in politics of development & good governance. Through hardwork, determination & work on the ground, BJP is now a strong force both in urban & rural Maharashtra. Congrats to Karyakartas... BJP is unwavering in the resolve to serve Maharashtra with unparalleled diligence, transparency & taking the state to even greater heights. It has been a great start to 2017! First the unprecedented support in Odisha & now the overwhelming blessings from people of Maharashtra. I thank each & every Indian for continuously placing their faith in BJP. We are working determinately to create a strong & inclusive India," PM Modi said in a series of tweets.

7 pm IST: BJP's Atul Shah wins from ward number 220 through lottery system.

6:10 pm IST: In Ward No 220 in South Mumbai, Shiv Sena's Surendra Bhagalkar and BJP's Atul Shah had the exact same number of votes. The final winner will be picked by BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta through a lottery system.

6 pm IST: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is also likely to address the media in a while

5:39 pm IST:

5:16 pm IST: BJP's Atul Shah and Shiv Sena's Surendra Bagalkar tie after recounting in south Mumbai

5:05 pm IST: "Shiv Sena and Congress joined hands even before the elections. In UP, too, Congress joined hands with SP. Will Congress now help Shiv Sena just to stop Mumbai BJP?" says Kirit Somaiya of the BJP.

5:01 pm IST:

5 pm IST: Overall results of the state civic polls: BJP ahead with 470 seats followed by Shiv Sena with 215 seats, Congress with 99 seats, NCP with 108 seats, MNS with 16 seats while other unpopular parties and independents in Maharashtra won 61 seats

4:51 pm IST: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be addressing a press conference in a few minutes

4:39 pm IST:

4:10 pm IST: Recounting underway in wards 87 and 220.

4:08 pm IST: Let's take a look at the final results for 225 seats

  • Shiv Sena: 84 seats
  • BJP: 81 seats
  • Congress: 31 seats
  • NCP: 9 seats
  • Samajwadi Party: 6 seats
  • MNS: 7 seats
  • AIMIM: 3 seats
  • Akhil Bhartiya Sena: 1 seat
  • Independents: 4 seats

4 pm IST: Let's take a look at the final results for 220 seats

  • Shiv Sena: 84 seats
  • BJP: 80 seats
  • Congress: 31 seats
  • NCP: 9 seats
  • Samajwadi Party: 6 seats
  • MNS: 7 seats
  • AIMIM: 3 seats
  • Akhil Bhartiya Sena: 1 seat
  • Independents: 4 seats

3:56 pm IST: Pankaja Munde takes responsibility after BJP lost 8 out of 10 seats in Parli. She has offered to resign.

3:51 pm IST: "I accept the decision of people of Mumbai. I will keep working for the party," Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam told ANI.

3:45 pm IST: Let's take a look at the final results for 220 seats

  • Shiv Sena: 83 seats
  • BJP: 79 seats
  • Congress: 30 seats
  • NCP: 8 seats
  • Samajwadi Party: 6 seats
  • MNS: 6 seats
  • Akhil Bhartiya Sena: 1 seat
  • Independents: 4 seats

3:40 pm IST: 

3:33 pm IST: Let's take a look at the final results of 199 seats

  • Shiv Sena: 77 seats
  • BJP: 69 seats
  • Congress: 27 seats
  • NCP: 8 seats
  • Samajwadi Party: 6 seats
  • MNS: 4 seats
  • AIMIM: 3 seats
  • Akhil Bhartiya Sena: 1 seat
  • Independents: 4 seats

3:30 pm IST: Congress wins in ward 9, BJP in wards 10, 13-17; Sena in wards 11, 12 and 18

3:22 pm IST: Nagpur Municipal Corporation results of 72 wards out of 151: BJP - 54, Congress-14, BSP - 4

3:13 pm IST: Results for R south – (Kandivali)
Wards No 19 and 25 go to Shiv Sena
Wards 20-24, 26 and 29-31 go to the BJP
Ward 27 result still pending
Ward 28 goes to the Congress

2:55 pm IST: Vinod Tawde, Maharashtra Minister and senior BJP leader told the Indian Express: "We are the true representatives of people because we connect with people in all the cities. People are confident that BJP will tackle issues of transport. Sanjay Raut said we won't get even 40 seats but we have got 77. We have got sweeping majority even in Marathi areas."

2:50 pm IST: Improvement Committee Chairperson and sitting BJP Corporator Prakash Gangadhare has won in ward 104 (Mulund)

2:47 pm IST: A tree catches fire inside Kalanagar compound due to celebratory crackers. Residents got together and put out the fire before fire tenders reached the spot.

2:33 pm IST: Congress wins in wards 32, 33, 34 and 48. BJP wins in wards 35, 46 and 47, while the Shiv Sena wins in ward 49.

2:28 pm IST: Shiv Sena leading in 92 wards, BJP in 77 wards, Congress in 29 wards, NCP in 7 wards, MNS in 6 wards and others in 14 wards.

2:24 pm IST: Eknath Shinde of the Sena told the Indian Express: "We don't work to take credit. We work to give people resources they deserve. In Mumbai and Thane, Shiv Sena is there for common people during their happy and sad times. People have rewarded shiv sena for that. People have given importance to our work. There is no water shortage in Mumbai because of Shiv Sena 's efforts. In Thane also, we are working towards overall growth."

2:10 pm IST: BJP's Sanjay Kakade reacts to the BMC poll results. He told the Indian Express: "We are confident that we will win. Happy that we have won in Pune and people of Pune have shown confidence in us. We will fullfil all their promises. Ticket allotment strategy was the best decision and deserves most credit."

2:08 pm IST: Congress' Rajendra Narwankar, BMC's former assistant engineer, wins from ward 216 

2:07 pm IST: In D ward – Malabar Hill, Charni Road, Tardeo – BJP wins in wards 214, 217, 218 and 219 while the Shiv Sena wins in ward 215 and the Congress in ward 216

2:05 pm IST: Goregaon results — BJP wins in wards 50, 52, 55, 56, 57 and 58, while the Shiv Sena wins in wards 51, 53 and 54.

2:00 pm IST: BJP legislator Pravin Darekar's brother Prakash Darekar loses from ward 11.

1:59 pm IST: After recount in ward 220 (Mumbadevi), Shiv Sena's Surendra Bagalkar and BJP's Atul Shah receive equal number of votes. 

1:53 pm IST: Take a look at the official wins in the BMC polls in 85 wards:

  • Shiv Sena wins in 34 wards
  • BJP wins in 22 wards
  • Congress wins in 15 wards 
  • SP wins in 6 wards
  • NCP wins in 4 wards
  • AIMIM wins in 2 wards
  • MNS wins in 1 ward
  • Independents/Others wins in 1 ward

1:49 pm IST: Shiv Sena's Haji Mohammed Halim Khan wins from ward number 96 while AIMIM's  Gulnaz Qureshi won in ward 92

1:22 pm IST: Congress retains power in wards 223 and 224 (Dongri-Musafirkhana area)

1:21 pm IST: Byculla results: Ward 207 goes to BJP while wards 208 and 209 go to the Shiv Sena. Congress wins in wards 210 and 213 while ward 211 has elected the Samajwadi Party and ward 212 has voted for the Akhil Bhartiya Sena.

1:20 pm IST Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam offers to resign after accepting responsibility for defeat in BMC polls.

1:17 pm IST: NCP's Rakhi Jadhav wins in ward number 131 after defeating Sena's Mangal Bhanushali and BJP's Bhalchandra Shirsat. 

1:11 pm IST: Tension between BJP workers and residents who claim to be Shiv Sena supporters outside BJP office in Mumbai.

1:10 pm IST: Shiv Sena group leader Trushna Vishwasrao loses to Congress' Sufiyan Vanu in ward 179. Phanase and Vishwasrao were heading the civic body since two and half years. Both have lost.

1:07 pm IST: AIMIM candidate Waqarunnisa Ansari loses to sitting Corporator Dynanraj Nikam's daughter Nikita Nikam in ward number 223.

1:05 pm IST: Shiv Sena's Yashodhar Phanse, who head the BMC's Standing Committee, has lost from ward number 60 in Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri West. 

1:04 pm IST: "Sanjay Raut said that BJP couldn't even manage 40 seats. We have crossed 50. This is like a slap on his face," BJP's Vinod Tawde told the Indian Express.

1:03 pm IST: The Shiv Sena is leading in 90 seats, BJP in 55, Congress 20, MNS 10 and NCP 6. Sena is just 24 seats away from reaching the halfway mark of 114.

1:01 pm IST: Congress candidate Rajendra Narwankar, retired BMC assistant Engineer, wins from ward no 216

12:57 pm IST: Shiv Sena Mayor Snehal Ambekar is leading from ward no 198.

12.55 pm IST: Underworld don Arun Gawli's sister-in-law Vandana Gawli defeated from ward no 207. BJP wrest the seat.

12:50 pm IST: BJP's Ritu Tawde loses from ward 127 in Ghatkopar west. 

12:49 pm IST: BJP's Jagdish Ojha wins in ward number 2

12:45 pm IST: Shiv Sena's Devendra Amberkar, who left the Congress before the elections, has lost

12:44 pm IST: Roads outside Bombay Dyeing office have been shut down due to celebrations by the Shiv Sena. Meanwhile, BJP's Harshita Narvekar has won in ward number 226.

12:43 pm IST: BJP's Makarand Narvekar wins in ward 227.

12:41 pm IST: Deepak Thakur, the son of BJP minister Vidya Thakur, wins from ward number 50.

12:40 pm IST: In G south (Dadar Prabhadevi area), Sena is leading in seven wards. In A ward – Sena is leading in ward number 225, while the BJP is leading in wards 226 and 227.

12:39 pm IST: Ravi Raja from Congress wins ward number 176 defeating BJP MLA Tamil Selvan's brother Murugan by 134 votes

12:38 pm IST: Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM wins 5 seats in Solapur Municipal Corporation

12:35 pm IST: Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale's wife Kamini Shewale loses from ward 144

12:33 pm IST: Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar's brother Vinod, a sitting BJP corporator contesting from ward 51, loses to Shiv Sena in Malad (East). 

12:30 pm IST: MNS candidate Archana Bhalerao wins first seat for the party from ward number 126. Ruksana Siddiqui of the Samajwadi Party has also won a seat.

12:29 pm IST: BJP MP Kirit Somaiya's son Neil wins from ward number 108

12:26 pm IST: In G North ward, which includes Dharavi and Mahim, Shiv Sena has won in wards 186 and 187. 

12:25 pm IST: Shiv Sena has won six seats in Sewri and Parel. This is the F-South ward of the BMC. Congress has won in ward 201, while Shiv Sena has won in wards 202-206 and ward 200.

12:24 pm IST: Shiv Sena is leading on 85 wards, BJP on 52 wards, Congress on 16 wards, MNS on 9 wards, NCP on 6 wards and independents/others on 5 wards.

12:23 pm IST: Wards 103 to 108 have elected the BJP while wards 109, 113 to 114 have elected the Shiv Sena and ward 110 has voted for Congress as counting slowly comes to an end, the Indian Express reports.

12:17 pm IST: Shiv Sena's Tejaswini Ghosalkar has won against Congress candidate Sheetal Mhatre in ward one in Dahisar.

12:15 pm IST: BJP's Tejaswini Abmole, the wife of sitting Shiv Sena corporator Nana Ambole, has lost to Shiv Sena candidate Sindhu Masurkar in ward 203 in Parel (Krishna Nagar). Pravin Chheda, Congress party leader in the BMC, has also lost.

12:12 pm IST: Three official wins and all from Shiv Sena, who are leading with 78 seats while the BJP is leading in 50 seats, according to the Indian Express. 

12:10 pm IST: Former Shiv Sena Mayor Shraddha Jadhav wins consecutively for the sixth time from ward number 202.

12 noon IST:

11:55 am IST: BJP is leading on 15 wards, BSP on 2, NCP on 9,MNS on 2, Congress on 3 and Shiv Sena on 2 wards in Pune

11:53 am IST: Overall, the Shiv Sena is leading on 75 wards, BJP on 40 wards, Congress on 11 wards, MNS on 6 wards, NCP on 4 wards and others on 2 wards 

11:49 am IST:

11:45 am IST: BJP leading on 23 wards, Congress on 9 wards and BSP on 1 ward in Nagpur

11:43 am IST: The Shiv Sena is leading in 59 seats while the BJP is leading in 35.

11:36 am IST: BJP leading on 9 wards, BSP on 4 wards, NCP on 3 wards, MNS on 2 wards, Congress and Shiv Sena on 1 ward each in Pune

11:33 am IST: Shiv Sena is leading in 57 seats while the BJP is leading in 34. Congress is leading in 10 wards, MNS on 5 wards, NCP on 4 wards and independents/others on one ward

11:27 am IST: BJP is leading on 16 wards and Congress on 4 wards in Nagpur

11:23 am IST: Shiv Sena is leading in 44 seats while the BJP is leading in 28. Congress is leading in 10 seats. The Sena is leading in six out of seven seats in Dadar.

11:18 am IST: Shiv Sena is leading on 10 wards while NCP and MNS are leading on one ward each in Thane. 

11:15 am IST: BJP candidates leading in 3 seats, MNS leading in 1 seat while Congress leading in 2 seats in Mulund

11:10 am IST: BJP corporator Samita Kamble is leading in ward number 107 with 1,310 votes in the first round. Sitting BJP Corporator Jyotsna Mehta is leading in ward number 219, reports the Indian Express.

11:05 am IST: Shiv Sena is currently leading on 37 wards, BJP on 25 wards, Congress on 6 wards, MNS on 4 wards and NCP on 2 wards.

11:03 am IST: BJP is leading on 9 wards while Congress on one ward.

10:55 am IST: The Shiv Sena is leading in 10 seats, while the BJP is leading in nine. The Congress is leading in three wards while the independents/others are leading in one seat. The MNS is yet to open its account.

10:37 am IST: BJP candidate Atul shah is trailing from Ward number 220 while Shiv Sena's Surendra Bagalkar is leading

10:35 am IST: Counting underway in Maharashtra

Pune: Shiv Sena leading in 3 seats

Nagpur: BJP leading on 2 seats

Pimpri, Chinchwad: BJP leading on 1 seat, NCP leading on 1 seat

Ulhasnagar: Shiv Sena leading on 8 seats

10:33 am IST: "Positive about our winning. Both brothers (Raj and Uddhav Thackeray) can't come together," Manohar Joshi, senior Shiv Sena leader, tells ANI

10:23 am IST: Shiv Sena takes early lead on ward number 200 and 202, while BJP leads on ward number 218 in Mumbai.

10:09 am IST:

10:05 am IST: Counting of votes for BMC's 227 wards begins

9:55 am IST: A party needs to win 114 seats to get control of the BMC. Counting to begin shortly.

9:15 am IST: The BMC elections witnessed the highest voter turnout after 25 years. The voter turnout percentage in 2007 was 42 percent while 45 percent of people voted in the 2012 elections.

9 am IST: The stakes are high for Fadnavis and Thackeray, both of whom carried out a no-holds-barred campaign and were also involved in a political war of sorts in the state. The other players include Congress, NCP, MNS and All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM).