The political atmosphere in Nashik has become charged with activity following the official announcement of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections. With the voting date fixed for January 15 and the counting of votes scheduled for the very next day, major political players have swiftly shifted into high gear, transforming their offices into strategic war rooms.
Key Election Timeline and Seat Distribution
The electoral battle will be fought for control of 122 seats spread across 31 wards of the city. The nomination process is set to begin shortly, with filing opening on December 23. Aspirants have a tight window to submit their papers, as the deadline for nominations is December 29. This compressed timeline has intensified the rush among parties to finalize their candidates.
Major Parties in Candidate Selection Frenzy
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), under Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, have taken an early initiative. Both parties have declared their intention to contest all 122 seats, aiming for a commanding majority in the civic body.
The BJP kicked off its formal interview process for prospective candidates as early as Sunday and continued the screenings late into Wednesday. The party has reportedly evaluated potential representatives for nearly every ward in the city.
On the other hand, the NCP conducted interviews for a staggering 210 aspiring candidates for the first 21 wards on Wednesday. "We received a good response from aspiring candidates. There was a rush of candidates throughout the day, and we could not complete interviewing everyone. Now, we have called the remaining candidates on Thursday," stated Ranjan Thakre, the Nashik city chief of the NCP. The party plans to interview candidates for the remaining 10 wards (22 to 31) on Thursday.
Other Parties Join the Fray
Other significant political forces are not far behind in their preparations. The Shiv Sena has announced it will conduct interviews for potential candidates on Thursday. Meanwhile, offices of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, NCP (SP), and others are also buzzing with increased activity, with party workers and ticket hopefuls making frequent visits.
The Congress party has scheduled its candidate interviews for Thursday, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) plans to hold its selection process over the next two days. The distribution of application forms to aspiring candidates by various parties is also in full swing as the election machinery gathers momentum.
With the nomination process just days away, the intense political mobilization across Nashik signals the beginning of a fiercely contested election that will shape the city's governance and local political landscape for the coming term.
