'People will hand over Mumbai to Mahayuti in BMC polls': Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], December 15 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday expressed confidence in Mahayuti's victory in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections next month.
Speaking to reporters in Pune, CM Fadnavis said that, given the government's work, people will vote for Maharashtra's ruling alliance.
"Mahayuti will contest the elections in Mumbai and, considering the work done by our government, the people will once again hand over Mumbai to us in the form of a municipal corporation. This is my belief," the CM said.
The polling for the elections for 29 Municipal Corporations in Maharashtra, including the BMC, will be held on January 15, with the results to be announced on January 16, the State Election Commission said on Monday.
From December 23 to 30 is the period to file nominations, and scrutiny of the nominations will be done on December 31. January 2 is the last date to take back nominations, as symbols will be distributed on January 3.
The Supreme Court had directed the State Election Commission to complete all local body elections by January 31, 2026, as the polls have been due since 2022.
The BMC polls are expected to witness a direct contest between two major alliances in the state- the ruling Mahayuti and the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The Mahayuti, which governs the state, comprises the Bhartiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The opposition alliance includes the Congress, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Shard Pawar-led faction, NCP-SP.
It will be the first BMC election after the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena and a direct contest with the Eknath Shinde-led faction.
Recently, after 20 years apart, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray came together following a row over Hindi imposition in the state and have vowed to contest the BMC polls together.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Chief Minister also congratulated the BJP's newly appointed National Working President Nitin Nabin.
Fadnavis said, "I am happy that the party has appointed a young worker like Nitin Nabin as the National Working President. I have known Nitin Nabin for many years. I congratulate him. I am confident that under his leadership, the party will progress further."
Bihar Minister and MLA Nitin Nabin took charge as the Bharatiya Janata Party National Working President in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the party's National President JP Nadda in the national capital on Monday.
Nitin Nabin, 45, is the youngest BJP National Working President. A five-time MLA from Bihar, Nabin currently serves as the state's Road Construction Minister and has previously held portfolios including Urban Development and Housing and the Law Department. (ANI)