Polling for the Vasai–Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) elections concluded on Thursday amid a high-voltage contest between Hitendra Thakur-led Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA), the ruling Mahayuti, and the Shiv Sena (UBT). With vote counting scheduled for January 16, exit polls have begun offering early indications of the likely outcome.
According to the exit poll released by VMJ (Virar Majhi Jaan), the BVA appears set for a comfortable majority in the 115-member civic body. The survey predicts that BVA could win 82 seats, well above the majority mark of 58, positioning the party for a strong return to power in the VVMC.
The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), and allied parties, is projected to secure 29 seats, trailing far behind the BVA. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) is expected to win just 2 seats, reflecting a limited footprint in the Vasai–Virar civic landscape.
The exit poll also estimates that other parties and independents may collectively secure 2 seats.
The VVMC election was closely watched, given the region’s political significance and the intense campaigning by all major players. While the exit poll points towards a decisive mandate for the BVA, political observers caution that exit polls can sometimes be inaccurate, and the final picture will emerge only after official counting. All eyes are now on January 16, when the counting of votes will determine whether the exit poll predictions translate into an electoral reality for Vasai–Virar.
In the last elections in 2015, the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation had a total of 115 seats. In the civic elections held on June 14, 2015, the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi dominated the results with an overwhelming victory, winning 106 seats and securing full control of the municipal body.
The Shiv Sena emerged a distant second with 5 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party managed to win only 1 seat. Independents and other smaller parties together accounted for the remaining 3 seats. As per the voter data for Vasai Virar, the total electorate stands at 6,46,789 voters. This includes 3,50,554 male voters and 2,96,235 female voters. There are no registered voters under the third gender category.