Bhiwandi: The recently concluded Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) elections have thrown up some striking numbers, with the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) polling fewer votes than independent candidates, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) secured even less votes than NOTA, highlighting a significant shift in the city’s political landscape.
BJP and NCP Performance
According to the final vote-share data, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in terms of votes polled, securing 26.44 per cent of the total votes cast. At the other end of the spectrum, the CPI(M) registered the lowest vote share at a marginal 0.05 per cent.
The elections were held under a multi-member ward system. Out of the 23 wards in the civic body, 21 wards elected four corporators each, while two wards elected three corporators. As a result, voters in 21 wards were allowed to cast four votes each, and those in two wards cast three votes. In total, 13,16,032 votes were polled across the city.
The Congress fielded 58 candidates, who together secured 3,47,939 votes, translating into a 26.44 per cent vote share — the highest among all parties. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which fielded 26 candidates, polled 1,57,161 votes, accounting for 11.94 per cent of the total votes.
The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) contested with 37 candidates and received 1,53,152 votes, giving it a vote share of 11.63 per cent. The Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), which fielded 22 candidates, secured a vote share of 8.75 per cent.
In contrast, the performance of other parties was notably weaker. The NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), with 24 candidates in the fray, polled 28,716 votes (2.18 per cent), while the Shiv Sena (UBT) fielded 28 candidates but managed only 27,416 votes, amounting to 2.08 per cent — lower than the votes polled by independent candidates.
Traditional Parties Decline
The MNS fared even worse, securing just 1,814 votes, or 0.13 per cent of the total, which was lower than the NOTA tally. NOTA accounted for 25,769 votes, or 1.96 per cent, underscoring voter dissatisfaction with several contestants.
Independents Gain Ground
Independent candidates collectively polled 67,664 votes, translating into a significant 5.14 per cent vote share, outperforming several recognised political parties. Among Left parties, the CPI polled 1,632 votes (0.12 per cent), while the CPI(M) remained at the bottom with a negligible 0.05 per cent.
Candidates belonging to state-recognised parties from outside Maharashtra and registered but unrecognised parties together polled a notable number of votes, reflecting the highly fragmented nature of the contest.
Key Takeaway
The vote-share figures underline a clear consolidation in favour of major parties like the Congress, while smaller parties and traditional regional outfits such as the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) appear to be struggling to retain their electoral base in Bhiwandi.
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