The political landscape for the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra's Nashik division saw a significant shift as the deadline for withdrawal of nominations concluded on Friday. A total of nineteen candidates across various parties were elected unopposed, setting the stage for a series of direct and multi-cornered contests in the remaining seats.
Nashik's Fierce Triangular Contest
In a notable exception, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) will witness a contest for all 122 seats spread across 31 wards. The election here is shaping up to be a fiercely contested triangular battle. The primary blocs involved are the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is contesting independently, the alliance of Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition.
Expressing high confidence, a BJP functionary stated the party expects to win close to 100 seats in the NMC. The party has fielded candidates in 118 seats and is backing one party-sponsored independent in Ward 25 (Cidco division). "Candidate selection was based strictly on winnability, determined through three rounds of internal surveys," the functionary revealed.
The political formations solidified after seat-sharing talks between BJP and Shiv Sena fell through. Consequently, Shiv Sena and NCP decided to contest jointly. On the other side, the MVA—comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Congress, and the NCP (SP)—has also formed a united front. Within the MVA, UBT is contesting 79 seats and supporting one independent in Ward 6, while the MNS has fielded candidates in 30 seats. Friendly contests among MVA allies are expected in about 10-12 wards, with similar situations anticipated between Shiv Sena and NCP in a few wards.
Jalgaon, Dhule, and Ahilyanagar See Walkovers
The Jalgaon Municipal Corporation recorded the highest number of unopposed victories, with six candidates each from the BJP and Shiv Sena sailing through after their rivals withdrew or were disqualified. This development primarily benefited the Mahayuti alliance, making Jalgaon the only corporation in the Nashik division where the three allies are contesting together. Notable beneficiaries include Shiv Sena's Rekha Patil, Sagar Sonawane, and Vikram Sonawane, along with BJP's Vishal Bhole (son of MLA Suresh Bhole), Deepmala Manoj Kale, and others. Consequently, elections will now be held for 63 out of the 75 seats across 19 wards.
In Ahilyanagar, where the BJP and NCP have formed an alliance against Shiv Sena, the withdrawal process led to five candidates getting elected without a contest—three from BJP and two from NCP. The alliance is spearheaded by MLA Sangram Jagtap and former MP Sujay Vikhe. Shiv Sena is contesting independently here after failed seat-sharing talks. Elections will now be conducted for 63 of the city's 68 seats.
The scenario in Dhule Municipal Corporation sees the BJP facing off against the Sena-NCP combine. Here, three BJP candidates were left without opponents. After 199 candidates out of 519 withdrew their nominations by Friday's deadline, 320 candidates remain in the fray for 71 seats. The BJP is contesting 58 seats (including the three unopposed), while the Sena-NCP alliance is contesting 72 seats, with Sena fielding 33 candidates. The MVA is contesting jointly, with Congress in the fray for 22 seats.
Malegaon: A Multi-Party Battleground
In the Malegaon Municipal Corporation, voting will take place for 83 seats instead of 84 after one candidate from the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra (ISLAM) was elected unopposed. ISLAM's president and former MLA, Asif Shaikh, declared, "This is just the beginning. The results will see the party in the corporation's office." The political fight in Malegaon presents a complex picture: BJP and Shiv Sena are in a direct contest, while the MVA remains united. Furthermore, in Malegaon west, the fight is primarily between Sena and BJP, whereas in the east, a triangular contest is expected between ISLAM, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), and the MVA.
The conclusion of the withdrawal phase has clearly delineated the battlegrounds for the upcoming civic polls across the Nashik division. While several candidates have secured an easy passage, the focus now shifts to the high-stakes, multi-cornered fights, especially in the key Nashik Municipal Corporation, where political fortunes will be decided by the electorate.
