Mumbai, Jan 16 (NationPress) The counting of votes for the elections to Maharashtra's 29 municipal corporations, which includes the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), commenced on Friday under stringent security measures.

The State Election Commission is set to reveal the outcomes of these pivotal civic body elections.

The results for the Maharashtra municipal elections are being disclosed a day following polling for 2,869 seats across 893 wards.

Extensive police presence has been established in and around the counting centers as well as at the State Election Commission offices to uphold law and order.

Election officials, party representatives, and supporters have congregated at the counting sites, where the counting activities began early in the morning.

Among the notable municipal corporations participating is Mumbai's BMC, recognized as one of the wealthiest civic entities in Asia. Other corporations involved in the elections include Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Kalyan-Dombivli, Kolhapur, Nagpur, Solapur, Amravati, Akola, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, Ulhasnagar, Thane, Chandrapur, Parbhani, Mira-Bhayandar, Nanded-Waghala, Panvel, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Latur, Malegaon, Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad, Jalgaon, Ahilyanagar, Dhule, Jalna, and Ichalkaranji.

Key corporations under close observation include Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayandar, Ulhasnagar, and Navi Mumbai, among others.

The elections have garnered significant attention due to considerable shifts in political alliances.

Former allies have separated, while past rivals have united for the civic elections.

The Thackeray cousins, Raj and Uddhav, who ended their long-standing rivalry in June last year, have collaborated for the upcoming municipal elections.

In addition, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is contesting alongside Sharad Pawar's NCP faction in two key corporations - Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is predicted to secure a decisive victory in the BMC elections, facing minimal resistance from the 'united' Thackeray brothers, as indicated by media reports referencing multiple exit polls by polling agencies.

At least two exit polls forecast a clear mandate for the BJP-Sena alliance, with the Thackeray cousins trailing by a substantial margin, while the Congress-led coalition is expected to experience another disappointing outcome.

According to the exit polls, the Mahayuti alliance has emerged as the preferred choice for the migrant population from North and South India, and is also anticipated to claim a significant portion of Maratha votes.

Conversely, the Thackeray cousins appear to be struggling to consolidate the Marathi and Muslim votes, with even that voter bank seeming hesitant to place their trust in the Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance.

Two polling agencies, namely Axis My India and JVC, have predicted a sweeping victory for the BJP and Shiv Sena in this fiercely contested battle for the BMC.

According to JVC, the BJP-Sena alliance is expected to prevail in 138 wards, while the Shiv Sena-UBT is likely to secure 59 wards. The Congress-led coalition may win approximately 23 wards, according to these polls.

Axis My India polls predict a win for the BJP-Sena coalition in 131-151 wards, while projecting 58-68 seats for the Shiv Sena-UBT-led alliance.

Another polling entity, The Sakal Poll, suggests that the battle for the BMC is a closely contested affair between the BJP-Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS.

The BJP-Shiv Sena coalition is anticipated to have an edge over the Thackeray brothers, albeit by a narrow margin.

The polling agency forecasts that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance could achieve victory in 119 wards, while the Shiv Sena-UBT might win 75. The Congress's tally is projected to dip below the 20-seat threshold.

In the BMC elections, the Thackeray cousins - Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray - reunited after approximately 20 years of political estrangement.

Uddhav Thackeray, head of Shiv Sena-UBT, and MNS president Raj Thackeray have put aside their enduring rift to confront a formidable challenge from the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition in the BMC elections.

The Shiv Sena-UBT fielded candidates in about 160 wards, while the MNS contested in approximately 53 seats.

Significantly, the BMC is recognized as the country's wealthiest civic body, which held elections on Thursday, alongside 28 municipal corporations throughout Maharashtra.

Polling commenced at 7:30 a.m. and concluded at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Although official voter turnout figures are pending, State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare reportedly stated that turnout across the 29 civic bodies ranged from 46 to 50 percent. By 3:30 p.m., Kolhapur registered the highest turnout at 50.85 percent, followed by Parbhani, Thane, Vasai-Virar, and Panvel.

Meanwhile, allegations surfaced during polling regarding the use of marker pens or "erasable ink," with some voters asserting that the ink could be removed using hand sanitizers.