Nashik Civic Polls Conclude with High Voter Participation
Voting for the Nashik Municipal Corporation elections wrapped up on Thursday. The voter turnout is expected to reach around 60%. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde expressed strong confidence. They believe they will secure a clear majority in the civic body.
Polling Details and Extended Voting
Polling took place for 122 seats across 31 wards throughout the day. Voting continued beyond the scheduled closing time at several booths. This indicated strong voter engagement in the electoral process.
BJP's Optimistic Seat Projections
The BJP had earlier claimed it would win 100 of the 122 seats. After polling concluded, the party revised its projection. It now says the voters' response suggests a minimum of 80 seats. Sunil Kedar, the Nashik city BJP chief, made this announcement.
"The voting process has concluded," said Kedar. "BJP set a target of winning 100 seats. Looking at the voters' response, we are confident of securing more than 80 seats. We express our heartfelt gratitude to the voters of Nashik."
Kedar highlighted that despite limited campaigning time, the developmental work by the BJP at both the central and state levels resonated with voters. He claimed this support would be evident in the final results. Kedar also asserted that the next mayor of Nashik would be from the BJP.
Shiv Sena's Confidence in Alliance Performance
The Shiv Sena projected it would win at least 60 seats on its own. Ajay Boraste, Shiv Sena's deputy leader, told media that he was confident the Shiv Sena–NCP combine would take charge of the municipal corporation. He emphasized that the alliance executed micro-level planning across all four-member panels.
Boraste credited works initiated by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for strengthening the party's support base. He specifically mentioned Shinde's promise to accelerate the redevelopment of old buildings in Nashik. This model follows successful examples in Thane and Pune.
"Mahayuti is poised to secure a majority in the newly elected civic body," Boraste stated.
Electoral Alliances and Seat Distribution
The election featured a triangular contest. The BJP contested independently. Its Mahayuti partners, Shiv Sena and NCP, contested jointly. On the other side, the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance comprised Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, Congress, and NCP (SP). They fought the election together.
In terms of seat distribution:
- BJP fielded candidates in 118 seats, including three party-sponsored independents.
- Shiv Sena contested 103 seats, including one party-backed independent.
- NCP contested 40 seats.
All parties now await the final results, with both major alliances expressing strong optimism about their performance.
