Maharashtra civic polls today, BJP-Shiv Sena to engage in friendly contest
Maharashtra will see the first phase of civic polls on Tuesday. The results of the elections are to be announced on December 21. Allies, BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) are engaged in 'friendly fights' on several seats, as both the parties have fielded candidates on some seats. The elections are being held to chose, 6,859 members and 288 presidents in the state. Polling is to be conducted using Electronic Voting Machines.
New Delhi: Maharashtra is set to witness voting for the first phase of its long awaited civic polls on Tuesday. The polls this year have become all the more interesting as 2 allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena are involved in friendly fights on several seats. Polling is to be held across 242 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats.
Results on December 21
The elections will see voters casting their ballot to choose 6,859 members and 288 presidents in the state. The results of the elections will be declared on December 21.
These elections are the first major polls post the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, and will show the sentiments of the voters of the state. The BJP-Shiv Sena combine, popularly called the Mahayuti, had virtually swept the November 2024 elections in the state, winning 235 of 288 seats here.
This time however the BJP and Shiv Sena are engaging in a friendly fight on several seats. Both of the parties have fielded candidates on some seats.
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Nearly 1 crore voters are eligible for voting in the first phase of the civic polls being held on Tuesday. The Supreme Court had ruled that polling for the civic polls must be complete by January 31, 2026. The polls will be conducted using Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and will be held between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi will also want to give a tough fight to the ruling alliance in the state,in these civic polls.
BJP-Shiv Sena tussle
The most interesting 'friendly contest' will be witnessed in Sindhudurg district. Here Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane is facing his younger brother, BJP MLA Nitesh Rane, in the Kankavali Municipal Council election. Tensions between the 2 brothers was visible publically, when Nilesh Rane barged into a BJP worker’s house and summoned the local police to seize cash found on the premises. He alleged that the money was meant to be distributed among voters.
The action of Nilesh led to a verbal spat with his brother, Nitesh Rane, which continued almost till campaigning closed for the elections.
The BJP and Shiv Sena however tried to play down the incident, saying that the "Mahayuti alliance was as strong as ever."
Not only have there been fights reported between leaders between the 2 parties, but it is also believed that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy, Eknath Shinde have been critical of each other on several issues.
While Fadnavis said that he was supporting his own party candidates, and chose not to comment against any party - opponents or allies - throughout the campaign. Shinde on the other hand said that local body polls are fought by local party workers and on local issues, affecting some particular areas. He said that during these elections, big political issues need not be brought in. He said that senior leaders only join the campaign, on the insistence of local workers.