Mumbai, Jan 14 (IANS) As Maharashtra heads to elections on Thursday for 29 municipal corporations, BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay has expressed confidence that the next mayor of Mumbai will be from the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.

Speaking to IANS on Wednesday, Upadhyay said the alliance has made its stand clear regarding leadership in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

“Our leaders, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, have announced at Shiv Tirth that Mumbai’s mayor will be from the Mahayuti alliance. The mayor will be a Hindu and a Marathi. Our position is clear about who will lead Mumbai, and we have officially informed the people of the city about this,” he said.

Upadhyay further claimed that the opposition would fail to secure even a municipal president’s post in the state.

Referring to past political assertions by opposition parties, he said, “During the Maharashtra elections, the opposition claimed that they would form the government and even projected several leaders as Chief Ministerial candidates. In the Lok Sabha elections, almost every opposition leader was even dreaming of becoming the Prime Minister. However, none of those ambitions materialised. They could not form either the state government or the central government, and now they will not even get a municipal president in Maharashtra.”

He added that the results of the ongoing civic polls would soon clarify the political picture in Mumbai.

“There are only 24 hours left for voting. After polling ends on January 16 and the counting is completed, it will become clear who will be Mumbai’s mayor,” he said.

Meanwhile, campaigning for elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra concluded on Tuesday, setting the stage for an intense political contest, particularly in Mumbai. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is making a strong push for control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which is facing a tough challenge from a united Thackeray front.

Voting will take place across 893 wards on January 15 to elect representatives for 2,869 seats. More than 3.48 crore eligible voters are expected to decide the fate of 15,931 candidates. Counting of votes is scheduled for January 16. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis led the Mahayuti campaign, touring large parts of the state along with Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

The election holds added significance as it is the first BMC poll since the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena, which had ruled the civic body for 25 years before the division. The campaign also witnessed a notable political development, with Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray reuniting after two decades in a bid to consolidate the Marathi vote.

–IANS

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