A significant number of opposition candidates withdrawing their nominations has handed the ruling Mahayuti alliance a substantial early advantage in the upcoming civic body elections across Maharashtra. This has led to an unusually high number of candidates being elected unopposed, totaling 39 seats across four key municipal corporations.
Breakdown of Unopposed Victories Across Corporations
The trend was most pronounced in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), where a staggering 20 candidates secured their seats without a contest. This was followed by seven unopposed wins in the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and six each in the Bhiwandi-Nizampur (BNMC) and Panvel City (PCMC) Municipal Corporations.
In KDMC, the victories were split between allies, with 14 BJP and six Shiv Sena candidates elected unopposed. Election officials reported that over 50 candidates from opposition parties withdrew by the final day. The withdrawals included nominees from Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, Congress, and both factions of the NCP.
Notable Withdrawals and Allegations
One prominent withdrawal occurred in Dombivli's ward 27-D, where MNS city president Manoj Gharat pulled out, paving the way for BJP's Mahesh Patil. In an interesting development in panel 23, all three BJP candidates, including the son and brother of former mayor Pundalik Mhatre, won without opposition.
These events have sparked allegations from the opposition. Former MNS MLA Pramod Patil accused the ruling alliance of misusing power and intimidation. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) stated that the withdrawals were for personal reasons and warned of disciplinary action if needed.
Gains in Other Civic Bodies
In Bhiwandi-Nizampur, the BJP secured an early lead with six unopposed victories, including Muslim candidate Abu Saad Sheikh and Sumit Patil, nephew of former Union minister Kapil Patil. The political landscape in Bhiwandi is multi-cornered, with Congress, SP, and both NCP formations contesting independently.
In Thane, seven Shiv Sena candidates, six of them women, won unopposed following withdrawals and disqualifications of rivals. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde hailed this as an endorsement of his party's work and the 'Laadki Bahin' initiative, predicting a Mahayuti victory in over 100 seats. The MNS, however, staged a silent protest, alleging the use of pressure and money power.
The Panvel City Municipal Corporation saw five BJP candidates elected unopposed. Another BJP candidate, Nitin Jayram Patil, won after his opponent's nomination was rejected over caste certificate issues. An independent candidate, Snehal Swapnil Dhamale, sister of a BJP-nominated MLC, also won unopposed after a BJP rival withdrew. The BJP announced it would initiate disciplinary action against the MLC for not informing the party.
State Election Commission to Scrutinize Withdrawals
In response to the high number of unopposed wins, the State Election Commission (SEC) has decided to scrutinize the reports sent from municipal commissioners. The SEC aims to determine if coercion or inducement led to the withdrawal of opposing candidates.
A senior SEC official stated, "This is the standing rule when there is an unopposed election... It’s only after a report is received (that the withdrawal is not because of the offer of money, use of muscle power or other inducements) is the returning officer allowed to declare the election." The commission will follow the standard procedure of seeking reports from municipal commissioners for urban polls to ensure the electoral process remains free and fair.
