The stage is set for a fiercely competitive battle in the upcoming Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) facing significant internal dissent. The party's strategy has been unsettled by a large number of rebel candidates who have refused to withdraw their nominations, setting the scene for tough, multi-cornered contests across several key wards.
Key Rebels Dent BJP's Prospects
The most prominent setback for the BJP unfolded in Prabhag 14-D, where six-time corporator Sunil Agrawal declined to step aside despite intense persuasion by senior leaders. Agrawal confirmed that city president Dayashankar Tiwari and MLC Parinay Fuke approached him, urging him to withdraw in favour of the official BJP nominee, Pragati Patil. He was even reportedly offered a nominated corporator's post if the BJP comes to power. Agrawal, however, rejected the offer, signalling his intent to test his individual strength. He will now contest as an Independent against Patil and Congress's first-timer Abhijeet Jha, a civil engineer. Party insiders fear this split could critically damage the BJP's prospects in this important ward.
A similar confrontation emerged in Prabhag 17-D. Here, BJP rebel Vinayak Dehankar—husband of former mayor Archana Dehankar—remained in the race after being denied a ticket. He is now pitted against the official BJP candidate, Manoj Sable, and Congress's Guddu Tiwari, choosing confrontation over compromise and further complicating the party's electoral arithmetic.
Confusion and Internal Battles
The BJP's troubles were compounded in Prabhag 18-A, where an awkward internal battle ensued after two aspirants—former corporator Sudhir Raut and Dhiraj Chavan—received B-forms. Chavan's refusal to withdraw his nomination is seen as a move that could dent Raut's chances of reclaiming the seat he lost to Congress corporator Bunty Shelke in the 2017 election.
In total, a staggering around 96 rebel candidates from the BJP filed nomination forms to contest as Independents, highlighting the scale of internal discontent. While the majority of these rebels eventually fell in line and withdrew—including former corporators like Amar Bagde, Vandana Bhure, Harish Dikondwar, and Rita Muley—the damage appears partly done. Multiple three-cornered contests have been thrown open, threatening to split the traditional vote bank.
A Contrast in Alliance Management
Interestingly, while the BJP struggled to contain dissent, the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and opposition parties largely succeeded in pacifying their disgruntled aspirants. Several leaders, including former corporator Purshottam Hazare, withdrew their papers. In the Shinde camp, many hopefuls who had filed nominations despite a limited seat-sharing arrangement with the alliance eventually backed out in the final hours. The Congress, which is contesting all 151 seats, has yet to clearly identify party rebels in the fray.
With rebels digging in their heels in crucial prabhags, the NMC polls are shaping up to be fiercer than anticipated. The contests suggest that in many wards, party symbols may matter less than personal clout, intricate local equations, and silent voter sentiment. The outcome will be a significant test of the BJP's organizational strength and its ability to manage internal factions in Nagpur's political landscape.
