BJP Minister Outlines Hybrid Alliance Strategy for Upcoming ZP Elections
BJP politician and minister Chandrakant Patil made significant announcements regarding the upcoming zilla parishad polls in Maharashtra. Speaking in Kolhapur on Sunday, Patil confirmed that the Nationalist Congress Party has received permission to contest the elections in alliance with NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).
Seat Distribution and Alliance Framework
Patil explained that both NCP factions will need to distribute the seats they receive from Mahayuti partners among themselves. He emphasized that this arrangement represents what he called a hybrid alliance for ZP and panchayat samiti polls across the state.
There is no need for any fortune teller to predict that both NCP and NCP (SP) are going to contest together, Patil stated. However, whether this partnership will last forever is beyond my ability to tell. For these local elections, they are definitely coming together with our approval.
Election Details and Targets
The minister revealed that elections for 13 zilla parishads will take place on February 5, with counting scheduled for February 7. Key districts from western Maharashtra include Solapur, Pune, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Satara.
Patil outlined ambitious goals for the Mahayuti alliance. We have set a target to win 48-plus seats in all these ZPs, he declared. Since there are 68 seats total and 34 required for majority, we aim for a strong performance.
Flexible Approach Based on Local Conditions
The hybrid alliance approach allows for flexibility depending on local political situations. Patil explained that in some areas, there might be friendly fights between alliance partners, while in others, full alliances will form with any Mahayuti partner.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis first described these arrangements as hybrid, Patil noted. We followed this model in municipal corporation elections, and we will implement it similarly for the upcoming polls. The specific alliance format between two parties or all parties will depend entirely on local circumstances.
Strategic Meeting and Political Returns
Patil conducted a Mahayuti meeting to discuss preparations for the ZP and panchayat samiti elections. Among attendees was Samarjeetsinha Ghatge, an NCP (SP) politician who previously left BJP to contest the 2024 assembly elections.
Ghatge has returned to our fold, Patil confirmed. While his technical entry into BJP requires some time, we have decided that his supporters will receive seats for ZP and panchayat samiti elections. They will contest on BJP tickets as part of our arrangement.
Ensuring Opposition Doesn't Gain Advantage
The minister stressed the importance of maintaining alliance discipline. We will ensure that the opposition does not gain any advantage because of disagreements among us, Patil asserted. This consideration remains paramount in all our alliance decisions and seat distributions.
Patil referenced previous electoral experiences, noting that in municipal corporation elections, the NCP-NCP (SP) alliance did not significantly impact outcomes. He reiterated that while NCP received approval to contest separately, they ultimately aligned with NCP (SP) for these local polls.
