Mahayuti Alliance Gets 68 Candidates Elected Unopposed Ahead of Maharashtra Civic Polls
Mahayuti sweeps unopposed amid fierce coercion allegations.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), secured a commanding early advantage in the upcoming civic polls by having 68 candidates elected unopposed ahead of the January 15 voting, with the BJP alone claiming 44 of these victories across key urban local bodies, signaling its expanding dominance in municipal governance.
BJP leaders hailed the unopposed elections as evidence of the alliance's widespread popularity, particularly crediting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's leadership and the strategic planning of state unit president Ravindra Chavan, with significant wins concentrated in areas like Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district, followed by Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Panvel, Bhiwandi, Dhule, Jalgaon, and Ahilyanagar.
Within the alliance, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena contributed 22 unopposed victors, while Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party added two, including notable cases in Pune where BJP candidates Manjusha Nagpure and Shrikant Jagtap from ward number 35 were declared winners after rivals withdrew, prompting Union minister Murlidhar Mohol to confidently predict a BJP mayor for the city.
Also Read: Mahayuti Nears Seat-Sharing Deal for BMC Polls, BJP–Shiv Sena Finalise 200 Wards
Opposition parties, including Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), vehemently accused the Mahayuti of employing coercive tactics such as threats, financial inducements, and administrative pressure to force candidate withdrawals, alleging that returning officers accepted forms beyond the official deadline under directives from ruling leaders.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut highlighted instances of late-night withdrawals and implied threats from guardian ministers, warning of potential public backlash similar to uprisings in Bangladesh and Nepal, while MNS's Avinash Jadhav questioned the need for elections if victories are predetermined, decrying the erosion of democratic processes in the state.
Also Read: Mahayuti Alliance Wins 207 of 288 Municipal Presidential Posts in Maharashtra
