Mumbai: The BJP and its Mahayuti allies have registered a significant early advantage in the Maharashtra civic elections scheduled for January 15, with 68 candidates being elected unopposed across the state. While the ruling coalition has hailed the development as proof of its growing influence in urban local bodies, Opposition parties have alleged misuse of power, intimidation and money to force withdrawals.
According to BJP leader Keshav Upadhye, 44 of the uncontested wins have gone to the BJP alone, underscoring what the party described as its expanding footprint in municipal politics. The highest number of such victories was reported from the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district, followed by Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Panvel, Bhiwandi, Dhule, Jalgaon and Ahilyanagar.
In Pune, BJP candidates Manjusha Nagpure and Shrikant Jagtap were declared elected unopposed from ward number 35 after rival candidates withdrew their nominations. The ward had earlier been represented by the same candidates between 2017 and 2022.
Union minister and senior BJP leader Murlidhar Mohol termed the uncontested victories an endorsement of the party’s governance record. Claiming that the BJP is targeting 125 seats in Pune, Mohol said the early wins reflected public confidence in the party’s leadership and performance.
Among Mahayuti partners, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena saw 22 of its candidates elected unopposed, while Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party accounted for two such victories. BJP leaders attributed the trend to the popularity of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the organisational strategy led by state unit president Ravindra Chavan, asserting that these factors have helped the party establish dominance in both municipal councils and major corporations.
However, Opposition parties have strongly disputed the ruling alliance’s narrative. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena accused the Mahayuti of engineering the withdrawals through pressure tactics. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged that returning officers were instructed to accept withdrawal forms even after the official deadline, claiming that local officials were pressured by ministers and MLAs to comply.
Raut described the situation as “mobocracy in the name of democracy” and warned of public backlash if such practices continued. MNS leader Avinash Jadhav echoed similar concerns, questioning the need for elections if results were being decided without voting. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant also accused the ruling parties of coercing Opposition candidates to ensure uncontested wins.
Amid the controversy, the Shiv Sena claimed that five of its candidates were elected unopposed to the Thane Municipal Corporation, while the BJP reported six uncontested wins in the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation. In Kalyan-Dombivli, three Shiv Sena candidates and one BJP candidate were declared elected unopposed following scrutiny of nomination papers.
As campaigning intensifies, the unopposed victories have sharpened political tensions in the state, with the Opposition raising questions about the fairness of the electoral process even before polling begins.
