Parbhani Breaks the Wave: Shiv Sena (UBT) Scores Historic Civic Victory Against Mahayuti

Parbhani Breaks the Wave: Shiv Sena (UBT) Scores Historic Civic Victory Against Mahayuti

Mumbai, Jan 2026 : Even as the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance registered sweeping victories across several municipal corporations in Maharashtra on Friday, the Parbhani Municipal Corporation in the underdeveloped Marathwada region delivered a strikingly different verdict. Defying the statewide trend, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) emerged as the biggest winner, dealing a major political setback to the ruling alliance.

In what is being termed a historic moment for the Thackeray faction, the Shiv Sena (UBT) secured control of the Parbhani Municipal Corporation (PMC) for the first time. This victory ends nearly two decades of civic dominance by the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress, and marks the Sena UBT’s return to power in Parbhani after a gap of 19 years.

The contest was keenly fought, with the Shiv Sena (UBT) emerging as the single largest party. The party won 25 seats, while Congress secured 12 seats. The BJP and Congress tied at 12 seats each, followed by the Ajit Pawar-led NCP with 11 seats. Smaller parties and independents included the Jan Surajya Party with three seats, Yashwant Sena with one, and one independent councillor. With the support of Congress and smaller parties, the Shiv Sena (UBT) is well placed to stake claim to the Mayor’s post.

The significance of the win is amplified by Parbhani’s political history. The Shiv Sena last held the mayoral position in 2007, when Parbhani was still a municipal council. After it was upgraded to a municipal corporation in 2011, power remained firmly with the NCP and later the Congress. The latest verdict, therefore, represents a decisive political shift in the city’s civic landscape.

Party leaders and observers alike are crediting the victory to strong local leadership and grassroots connect. Parbhani MP Sanjay Jadhav and MLA Dr Rahul Patil played a central role in steering the campaign. While the Mahayuti deployed its top leadership, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP state president Ravindra Chavan and senior minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, holding more than 200 rallies and meetings, the Thackeray faction relied largely on the credibility and influence of its local leaders.

Strategic seat-sharing also worked in the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s favour. The party contested 48 seats and adopted a “friendly contest” arrangement with the Congress in the remaining wards. This prevented fragmentation of the anti-Mahayuti vote and ensured a consolidated opposition presence against the ruling alliance.

In contrast, the Mahayuti partners—BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP—failed to convert their state-level momentum into local success. Despite an aggressive campaign led by Guardian Minister Meghna Bordikar and Industries Minister Uday Samant, the alliance fell short of the numbers required to dominate the civic body.

Reacting to the setback, BJP leader Meghna Bordikar acknowledged the defeat, stating that while the Chief Minister’s appeal had worked across much of the state, the party had underperformed in Parbhani and would introspect to understand the reasons.

Political analysts point to a strong sense of regional pride and personal voter connect as key factors behind the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s success. For Uddhav Thackeray, the Parbhani victory offers a crucial psychological boost, reaffirming that his faction can still challenge and defeat the combined strength of the Mahayuti alliance in select regional strongholds.