A significant number of candidates from the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra are poised to secure victories without a contest in the ongoing municipal corporation elections. This development, confirmed by BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye, has ignited a fierce political storm, with opposition parties leveling serious allegations of coercion and electoral malpractice.
Scale of Unopposed Wins and BJP's Dominance
BJP's Keshav Upadhye announced on social media platform X that a total of 68 corporators from the Mahayuti coalition have been elected unopposed. He emphasized that the BJP leads this trend with 44 uncontested winners across eight municipal corporations. The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) contributed the largest share of these unopposed BJP candidates. Upadhye noted that ally Shiv Sena had 22 such wins, while the NCP, contesting separately, had two.
Opposition's Scathing Allegations of Coercion
The opposition has reacted with sharp criticism, accusing the ruling parties of using financial inducements and intimidation to force rival candidates to withdraw their nominations. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut made explosive claims, alleging that candidates opposing the Mahayuti were offered sums as high as Rs 5 crore to exit the electoral race. He gave a specific example, stating, "Bags containing 5 crore rupees each were sent to the houses of candidates in Jalgaon to force them to withdraw."
Raut further lambasted the State Election Commission (SEC), calling it the "pet cat" of the government. He alleged procedural violations, claiming that withdrawal applications were accepted after the official deadline and then backdated. "Check the phone calls and records of everyone involved," Raut demanded, calling for an investigation into calls made by ministers and their offices in the last 24 hours.
Congress leader Satej Patil echoed these concerns, pointing to the use of muscle power and money. He also alleged that some returning officers were giving incorrect decisions and urged election authorities to probe the matter thoroughly.
Demands for NOTA and Electoral Transparency
In response to the wave of unopposed elections, several parties and leaders have raised questions about democratic transparency and proposed reforms. In KDMC, where 20 Mahayuti candidates are set to win without a fight, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) submitted a formal complaint to the SEC.
AAP demanded that elections be held even in wards with only one candidate remaining. The party's key proposal is to grant the NOTA (None of the Above) option the status of a "deemed" or "virtual" candidate. They argued that if the sole candidate receives fewer votes than NOTA, a re-election should be mandated for that ward.
Adding to this, Thane's Shiv Sena (UBT) president Kedar Dighe questioned the validity of declaring candidates "unopposed" when the NOTA option exists on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). He urged the Election Commission to place the NOTA button against these candidates to gauge public opposition and enhance transparency.
Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi also alleged that their municipal councillors faced immense pressure to withdraw nominations after accepting money, stating, "Wherever money was distributed, nominations were withdrawn."
The situation presents a contentious prelude to the civic polls, with the ruling alliance celebrating its organizational strength and the opposition decrying what it calls a subversion of democratic processes.
