In a significant pre-poll development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured an uncontested victory in one ward for the upcoming Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections. The party's candidate, Rekha Chaudhary, was elected unopposed from Ward No. 18-A after no other nominations were received for the seat.
Internal Rumbles and Unopposed Win
While the BJP celebrated the early win, the election season has been marked by internal dissent within major parties. Both the BJP and the Shiv Sena denied tickets to several sitting and former corporators. This move prompted many aspirants to file their nominations as independent candidates, signaling potential electoral challenges for the official party nominees.
The denial of tickets sparked visible discontent, leading to a wave of resignations. In a notable incident, former sitting corporator Shreyas Samel resigned from the party after being denied a ticket. He was joined by nearly 50 other party functionaries who publicly expressed their disappointment, calling the treatment of loyal, long-serving workers unfair.
A Multi-Cornered Contest and Alliance Dynamics
Nominations have been filed by candidates from the Congress, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Uddhav Thackeray faction (UBT), which are contesting separately, have also thrown their hats in the ring.
Adding to the complex political landscape, the Mahayuti's third alliance partner, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP (AP), is contesting separately. The party has filed nomination forms for 50 candidates out of the total 122 seats in the KDMC.
Criminal Action Against Absentee Election Staff
In a stern move to ensure smooth polling, the KDMC administration has decided to take strict action against election duty staff who failed to report for work. Municipal Commissioner Abhinav Goel has directed Additional Commissioner Sandeep Rokade to initiate criminal proceedings against these officials.
According to KDMC officials, action is proposed against 28 officers and employees. These individuals were primarily appointed to crucial election monitoring teams, including:
- Video Surveillance Team (VST)
- Flying Squad Team (FST)
- Static Surveillance Team (SST)
Zonal Officers who did not join their assigned duties are also facing action. The civic body has planned to register an offence against them, emphasizing that their presence is critical for the successful conduct of the elections.
Furthermore, notices have been served to staff members deployed for voting day at polling stations, giving them one final chance to report for duty. Commissioner Goel has issued a clear warning that failure to comply will result in criminal action under the stringent provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The official announcement of Rekha Chaudhary's unopposed election is expected only after the scrutiny of nomination forms, which is scheduled for Wednesday.
