Maharashtra civic poll results: AIMIM, ISLAM Party spring surprise amid Mahayuti's win

Mumbai: Even as the BJP-led Mahayuti consolidated its gains in Maharashtra’s civic elections, the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra, popularly known as the Islam Party, have emerged as notable players in the just-concluded polls to 29 municipal corporations.

The AIMIM put up an impressive show across urban Maharashtra, collectively winning over 125 seats. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the party secured 33 seats, improving upon its 2017 tally of 24, in a corporation that has 115 wards.

In Malegaon, Nashik district, the Islam Party emerged as the single-largest party, winning 35 of the 84 seats in the civic body. With AIMIM securing 21 seats, the two parties are expected to come together to form the ruling dispensation and stake claim to the Mayor’s post.

In Mumbai, the AIMIM will make its debut in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). In the 227-member civic body, the BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats, followed by its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, with 29. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) won 65 seats, while the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) secured six.

The Congress, which contested in alliance with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), bagged 24 seats. AIMIM won eight seats, the NCP three, the Samajwadi Party (SP) two, and the NCP (SP) one.

The results appear to have dealt a blow to the Samajwadi Party, particularly in Mumbai. The AIMIM breached the Govandi–Mankhurd belt, considered a stronghold of SP State unit chief and sitting MLA Abu Asim Azmi, a four-time legislator from Mankhurd–Shivajinagar.

Overall, the SP won two seats in Mumbai, five in Malegaon and six in Bhiwandi, Thane district. In Bhiwandi East, Rais Shaikh of the SP is a two-time MLA.

Reacting to the results in Hyderabad, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi thanked the people of Maharashtra for electing over 125 corporators and urged rival parties to introspect.

“Those who accuse us of being the BJP’s ‘B team’ should think about themselves. It is the decision of the people. There is an English saying: victory has many fathers, defeat has none. Why did they lose? They will have to answer,” Owaisi said, adding that the voters’ list was “correct”.

On the coming together of Thackeray cousins Uddhav and Raj, the Hyderabad MP said the verdict spoke for itself, noting that a Uddhav Thackeray-backed candidate had won from the area where Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s residence is located.

“AIMIM has won 120-plus seats. Thank you, Maharashtra,” said AIMIM State unit chief Imtiaz Jalal, a former MP and ex-MLA. Owaisi also urged newly elected corporators to remain connected with the people and focus on development work in their wards.

The Islam Party’s rapid rise in Malegaon has been one of the standout features of the civic polls. Party chief Shaikh Asif Shaikh Rashid attributed the success to sustained grassroots mobilisation.

In Malegaon, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 18 seats, the Samajwadi Party five, the Congress three, while the BJP managed just two.

“The people have given us the largest mandate. We are ahead by 15 seats,” Rashid said, adding that while the Mayor’s post should go to his party, he was open to dialogue and compromise in the interest of the city’s development and unity.

AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan said the results reflected the party’s organisational strength and extensive campaigning across Maharashtra.

The AIMIM has won large chunk of seats in Aurangabad (33), Nanded (15), Malegaon (21).