Ulhasnagar Civic Polls End in Hung House: BJP Emerges as Single Largest Party
A fiercely contested political battle unfolded in Ulhasnagar during the municipal corporation elections. The two key Mahayuti allies, the BJP and Shiv Sena, turned the civic polls into a high-stakes competition. Neither party managed to secure a clear majority, creating a hung house situation.
Election Results and Seat Distribution
The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation. They won 37 out of the 78 available seats. This represents a significant performance for the party in this civic body.
The Shiv Sena contested the elections separately while forming an alliance with several local parties. Their coalition included Team Omie Kalani, the SAI Party, and the Republican Party of India. They also received support from some independent candidates.
Despite this broad alliance, the Shiv Sena-led group secured a total of 38 seats. This included 36 seats won directly by Shiv Sena candidates and 2 additional seats from their allies.
Other parties made limited gains in the election. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi managed to win 2 seats. The Congress party secured just 1 seat in the corporation.
With the majority mark set at 40 seats, no political formation crossed the halfway line. This leaves the crucial question of who will form the ruling body completely open for negotiation and political maneuvering.
Historical Context and Political Dynamics
Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation has a complex political history. For many years, Pappu Kalani dominated the civic body's politics. More recently, power has been shared between the Shiv Sena, BJP, and the local SAI Party.
The BJP previously enjoyed independent power for two-and-a-half years in the corporation. They achieved this with support from the Kalani faction during that period.
This election presented different circumstances. Ulhasnagar falls under the Lok Sabha constituency represented by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde. He is the son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Determined to prevent BJP from gaining power in the municipal corporation, Shrikant Shinde forged a strategic alliance. He brought together Team Omie Kalani, the RPI, and the SAI Party under a common banner.
Despite these efforts and the presence of influential local leaders, the Shiv Sena-led alliance could only manage 36 seats on its own. Their two allies contributed two additional seats, bringing their total to 38. This still left them two seats short of the majority mark.
BJP's Strategy and Campaign Approach
The BJP faced its own challenges during this election. Senior party leaders were largely focused on Mumbai politics, creating a leadership vacuum at the local level.
Local BJP leaders including MLA Kumar Ailani, Ulhasnagar district president Rajesh Vadhrya, and election in-charge Pradeep Ramchandani waited until the last moment. They hoped for an alliance proposal from the Shiv Sena that never materialized.
When no alliance offer came, the BJP made a bold decision. For the first time in Ulhasnagar's political history, they decided to contest all 78 seats independently.
The party relied heavily on local leadership for their campaign. They fielded a mix of experienced faces and new, educated, young candidates. Barring a single rally by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the BJP fought the election without major star campaigners.
This grassroots strategy paid significant dividends. The party emerged as the single largest party in the corporation despite the absence of high-profile campaign support.
Previous Election Comparison and Current Reactions
In the previous 2017 election, the BJP had secured 32 corporators with support from the Kalani group. However, only about 15 of those were actually from the BJP itself, highlighting the party's previous dependence on alliances.
This election saw different dynamics at play. Despite Shrikant Shinde's direct involvement in the campaign and a rally by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena fell short of the magic number.
Reacting to the BJP's performance, District BJP President Rajesh Vadhrya highlighted their strategy. He stated that the party gave opportunities to both experienced leaders and new, educated youth.
Vadhrya added that under the guidance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan, the party fought effectively. He characterized their performance as a significant victory given the circumstances.
The hung house situation now sets the stage for intense political negotiations. Both major parties will need to reach out to smaller parties and independent candidates to form a ruling coalition in Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation.
