Overview
- Voting on January 15 will decide 2,869 seats across 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai’s BMC, with counting scheduled for January 16.
- Raj Thackeray accused the Adani Group of building a monopoly across sectors since 2014, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended Adani-linked projects as job-creating and noted key permissions were granted under the previous MVA government.
- Fadnavis said a Mahayuti-run BMC would install a Hindu, Marathi mayor, as Eknath Shinde deferred specifics until results while stressing a Marathi mayor, underscoring identity politics in the campaign.
- Reports of offers to MNS candidates to withdraw, 67 unopposed returns, and videos alleging cash distribution drew scrutiny, with the State Election Commission seeking reports and a Bombay High Court hearing expected on Wednesday.
- Uddhav and Raj Thackeray campaigned together to consolidate Marathi votes, as Fadnavis predicted Mahayuti wins and did not rule out a future reunion of the Sharad and Ajit Pawar NCP factions beyond their limited local tie-ups.