The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) achieved a strong performance in the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation elections, held recently in January 2026, securing between 112 and 126 corporator seats across various urban local bodies. This marks a substantial increase from its 2017 tally of 81 seats and its 2016 performance of 48 seats. A key highlight of this victory, as reported by The Quint, is the success of at least six non-Muslim candidates who won on AIMIM tickets. These winners include Kakasaheb Kakde, Ashok Ranganath Hiwrale, and Vijayshree Jadhav from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad); Pawan Koye and Varsha Dongre from Nagpur; and Vijay Ubale from Mumbai. Many of these non-Muslim candidates, who are Hindus and Buddhists, won from wards reserved for Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe candidates, indicating AIMIM's outreach beyond its traditional Muslim voter base. AIMIM's strong showing was particularly notable in cities like Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (where it won 33 seats), Malegaon (21 seats), Dhule (10 seats), and Amravati (15 seats). The party also made its debut in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), securing several seats. Party president Asaduddin Owaisi attributed the success to public trust in the party's development-oriented and inclusive politics, highlighting that Hindus, Dalits, and other minorities had voted for and won on the party symbol. Political observers note that AIMIM's strategy focused on local infrastructure and representation issues rather than just national rhetoric, contributing to its gains and positioning it as a potential kingmaker in several smaller municipal councils. This performance has significantly boosted AIMIM's presence and influence in Maharashtra politics.