Nagpur went to the polls on Thursday to elect its future ward representatives, with voting marking a crucial moment for the Orange City’s political direction. Widely known today as the stronghold of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Nagpur’s civic election is being seen as a decisive test of the ruling BJP’s development narrative as well as the opposition’s revival strategy.
Once considered a Congress bastion, Nagpur’s political landscape underwent a dramatic transformation after 2014. Following the BJP’s rise at the national and state levels, the party steadily consolidated its hold over the city. The BJP won the Lok Sabha seat after 2014 and has maintained dominance in subsequent parliamentary elections. In Assembly elections, the BJP and Congress have shared seats in a 4–2 ratio within the city limits.
The 2017 Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) election proved historic for the BJP, which secured a record 109 seats. Now, eight years later, the 2026 civic polls are being closely watched. With voting to be completed on Thursday, the results to be declared on Friday are expected to clearly indicate whether voters have endorsed the BJP’s development claims or responded to the Congress’ renewed push under city party chief Vikas Thakre. While the BJP faces a direct “test of development,” the effectiveness of Thakre’s political strategy will also be under the scanner.
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13 Jan 2026
BJP: Lok Sabha-like Atmosphere, Rising Stakes
Despite repeated electoral victories, the BJP’s grip on Nagpur has not gone entirely unchallenged. In the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s winning margins saw a noticeable dip. He defeated Nana Patole in 2019 and Vikas Thakre in 2024, but both contests were tougher than expected, even amid a nationwide BJP wave. These trends have added to the political tension surrounding the current municipal election.
Voting Details and Arrangements
As per directives of the State Election Commission, polling for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation General Election 2026 is being held on January 15 from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm across 3,004 polling booths. Municipal Commissioner and Election Officer Dr. Abhijit Chaudhary has appealed to citizens to exercise their democratic right and participate in large numbers.
Nagpur has a total of 24,83,112 voters, including 12,26,690 male and 12,56,116 female voters. Voters are electing 151 corporators from 38 multi-member wards. In wards numbered 1 to 37, voters are required to cast four votes, while Ward No. 38 requires three votes. A total of 993 candidates are in the fray.
The civic administration has made extensive arrangements to ensure smooth polling. Election materials and staff were transported to polling stations using 504 buses. Polling has been set up in 964 buildings housing 3,004 booths. As many as 3,579 presiding officers and 10,737 polling officials have been deployed, with one police or home guard personnel stationed at each polling booth. Additionally, 244 zonal officers are overseeing the process.
According to Nagpur Police, 321 polling stations have been identified as sensitive, where additional security arrangements have been made. For voter convenience and inclusivity, each of the city’s ten zones has one pink polling booth and one model polling booth.
Counting and Digital Support for Voters
Vote counting will take place on January 16 from 10 am at ten zonal counting centres across the city. Each election decision officer will have arrangements for around 20 EVM counting tables and four tables for postal ballots, with dedicated supervisors and assistants at each table.
To help voters easily locate their polling booths, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s Information and Technology Department has launched a new digital platform. Voters can now find their polling station details through the NMC website, chatbot, AI Mitra, and the My Nagpur App. Searches can be conducted using the voter’s name or EPIC number, in both Marathi and English, ensuring quick and accurate information.
With voting underway and results just a day away, all eyes are on Nagpur to see whether the BJP retains its civic dominance or whether the opposition manages to alter the city’s political equation.
