Maharashtra Local Body Elections Witness Peaceful Polling Amid Minor Unrest
Polling for 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis across 12 districts in Maharashtra commenced on a slow note on Saturday, ultimately registering an approximate voter turnout of 52 percent. Election officials indicated that the final voting figures would be available by late evening or early Sunday morning. The electoral process was largely peaceful, with fewer complaints regarding bogus voting or Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malfunctions reported.
Voter Turnout and District-Wise Performance
By 3:30 PM, the average voting percentage stood at around 52 percent, with expectations of it rising to between 65 and 70 percent by 5:30 PM. Due to long queues of voters persisting beyond the scheduled closing time, the availability of final voting percentages was delayed at numerous polling stations. Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi noted that the voting percentage in Pune district by 3:30 PM was 51 percent, with an overall figure anticipated to reach approximately 68 percent.
Provisional reports from Pune district election officials highlighted varied performances across talukas. Velha-Rajgad taluka recorded the highest poll percentage at 79%, followed by Maval at 77.43%, Khed at 75.46%, Shirur at 75.59%, Ambegaon at 65.30%, Purandar at 68.37%, Mulshi at 63.79%, Bhor at 75.62%, and Indapur at 65.57%. In contrast, Baramati registered a lower turnout of 54.67%.
Satara District Collector Santosh Patil reported that polling in Satara district till 3:30 PM was around 51.02%, with projections of it increasing to 70 percent by 5:30 PM. Specific areas like Mahabaleshwar saw a voting rate of 58% by mid-afternoon, while other talukas averaged 54%.
Incidents of Unrest and Controversies
Despite the overall peaceful atmosphere, the polling was not without incidents. Minor EVM issues were reported at a couple of locations, but these were swiftly addressed by election authorities. Verbal clashes erupted between workers of political parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in various areas.
In the Wadgaon Haveli area of Karad taluka in Satara district, tensions flared following allegations of bogus voting, leading to a verbal duel between BJP and NCP workers. Police intervention was necessary to defuse the situation. Similarly, in Parbhani district, a voter who identified as a spiritual seer alleged he was prevented from casting his vote, claiming election officials were biased towards the BJP. Although police intervened, the individual left without voting.
Controversy also arose when Shiv Sena MLA Vilas Bhumare brought his young son to the polling station and applied ink to his finger, sparking debate. Bhumare later clarified that his son was too young to understand EVMs and that he had only cast his own vote. Additionally, an audio clip of a former Shiv Sena minister went viral in Dharashiv district, containing conversations about voter money distribution, raising concerns.
Notable Voter Stories and Protests
Inspiring stories emerged from voters like Shraddha Kundale in Roha taluka of Raigad district, who exercised her franchise minutes before her wedding, emphasizing voting as a democratic duty. Similarly, Sonali Mane in Saverde village of Sangli cast her vote prior to her marriage ceremony on Saturday.
However, not all participation was positive. In Balgavde village of Sangli district, approximately 2,200 voters boycotted the polls to protest the felling of around 15,000 trees for a solar energy project, highlighting environmental concerns.
Political Context and Campaign Dynamics
These Zilla Parishad elections are being viewed as a litmus test for NCP factions, which are contesting in an informal alliance in their strongholds of western Maharashtra. The polls are overshadowed by the tragic death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an air crash on January 28, while he was en route to campaign in Baramati taluka. His demise, along with four others, led Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to refrain from campaigning, resulting in a subdued election atmosphere dominated by local leaders.
Early voters included Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, who cast her ballot with her son Parth Pawar in Baramati, and NCP (SP) leaders Jayant Patil and Rohit Pawar. Rohit Pawar urged voters to support candidates fielded by Ajit Pawar as a tribute to him.
Election Details and Counting Schedule
The elections cover Zilla Parishads in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv, and Latur, along with their respective Panchayat Samitis. Originally scheduled for February 5, the polls were postponed due to Ajit Pawar's death and subsequent state mourning.
A total of 2,624 candidates are vying for 731 Zilla Parishad seats, with reservations including 369 for women, 83 for Scheduled Castes, 25 for Scheduled Tribes, and 191 for Other Backward Classes. For the 1,462 Panchayat Samiti seats, 4,814 candidates are contesting, with 731 reserved for women, 166 for Scheduled Castes, 38 for Scheduled Tribes, and 342 for Other Backward Classes.
The counting of votes is set to commence at 10 AM on February 9, after which the model code of conduct will be lifted. Political observers suggest the outcomes could influence whether the NCP factions, now led by Ajit Pawar's successors and patriarch Sharad Pawar, might consider a merger, as they have temporarily set aside their rivalry for these local body polls.
