The final day for filing nominations for the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections on Tuesday was marked by dramatic last-minute defections and a surge in candidate entries. Discontented party workers, denied tickets by their original parties, swiftly switched allegiances to join rival camps and enter the electoral fray.
Rebellion and Strategic Switches
Political parties had strategically withheld their candidate lists until the eleventh hour to prevent internal rebellion. However, many aspiring candidates had prepared a backup plan. This led to a flurry of party-switching activity on the last day. Over 300 nomination papers were submitted for the 81 corporator posts across the city's 20 wards.
In a significant shift, several hopefuls originally seeking BJP tickets found their names on the Congress list instead. Similarly, aspirants rejected by the BJP and Shiv Sena moved to the Jansurajya Shakti Party and the NCP. In a notable move, approximately 17 disgruntled workers from the ruling Mahayuti alliance joined the Jansurajya Shakti Party on Tuesday.
Alliance Dynamics and Criticism
The seat-sharing arrangement within the Mahayuti alliance saw BJP contesting 36 seats, Shiv Sena 30, and NCP 15. On the opposing side, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition has Congress fielding 76 candidates, while Shiv Sena (UBT) is contesting only six seats. The NCP (SP) has allied with AAP and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi to contest all 81 seats.
Commenting on the political maneuvering, MLC Satej Patil criticized the alliances. "People are smart enough to understand that these politicians, who sit next to each other in Mumbai, are contesting elections separately in Kolhapur. How long will you fool people? There is no understanding among Mahayuti partners," he told reporters.
Notable Nominations and Campaign Styles
The nomination process saw varied campaign styles. Shiv Sena candidate Ruturaj Kshirsagar, son of state planning commission head MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar, filed his papers after leading a large procession. Guardian minister Prakash Abitkar and MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar were seen dancing with supporters during the event.
In a contrasting approach, AAP's city president Uttam Patil filed his nomination for Ward 3 by cycling to the office, with banners proclaiming 'Kolhapur Deserves Better'. The day also marked a progressive step with two transgender candidates filing nominations. Shivani Gajbar is contesting from Ward 20 for AAP as part of the Rajarshi Shahu Aghadi, while Suhasini Devmane filed as an independent candidate from Ward 17.
Shivani Gajbar stated that after being denied tickets by both the MVA and Mahayuti, they decided to enter the fray to resolve ward issues, expressing hope that Kolhapur's progressive voters would support a transgender candidate.
Flaws in the Voter List
A significant error in the electoral roll came to light on Tuesday. The name and photograph of former state health minister Digvijay Khanvilkar, who passed away 13 years ago at the age of 77, were still present in the KMC voter list, with his age incorrectly listed as 89. A KMC official, speaking anonymously, revealed the scale of the problem, noting, "Every ward has nearly 200 to 250 names of voters who are not alive anymore."
KMC officials confirmed that the final tally of nomination forms would be clear by late Tuesday night, solidifying the candidate list for what promises to be a highly competitive civic election.
