Campaigning for the long-delayed elections to 264 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Maharashtra concluded on Monday, setting the stage for Tuesday's polls. The final day was marked by a show of unity from the ruling Mahayuti alliance and allegations from the opposition about pressure tactics leading to the withdrawal of several of their nominees.
Last-Day Campaign Push and Alliance Dynamics
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis maintained a grueling schedule, addressing at least six rallies on the campaign's final day. His deputy chief ministers, Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, also engaged in hectic campaigning for their respective candidates. Despite the public display of coordination, the alliance partners—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar group)—are contesting against each other in numerous seats, effectively squeezing the opposition's space.
Political speeches by senior leaders often centered on claiming credit for government initiatives, ranging from control over state finances to the continuation of welfare schemes like the Ladki Bahin scheme. Amidst visible tension between the partners, Fadnavis emphasized a positive campaign focused on development. "Those without a development plan turn to criticism. We do have a plan and I am seeking votes on this positive note," he stated in his speeches. Shinde echoed the need for harmony, urging everyone to follow the "yuti dharma" or principles of the alliance.
Opposition Cries Foul Over Withdrawals
The opposition camp, comprising the Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), and Shiv Sena (UBT), faced significant setbacks as several of their nominees withdrew their candidatures on the last day. They alleged that "pressure" was applied, resulting in one-sided contests in many areas. This led to unopposed victories for BJP candidates in councils like Dondaicha in Dhule district and Jamner in Jalgaon district.
Some opposition members privately admitted to a lack of a cohesive front against the ruling combine. The campaign was notably missing many senior leaders from these parties. Congress MLC Satej Patil pointedly asked, "These elections are being contested by party workers. Local functionaries of Congress are campaigning in their bastions. Aren't the local leaders of Mahayuti strong enough?"
Election Details and Commission Under Scrutiny
These local body elections, being held after a delay of three to four years, will see more than one crore voters electing 264 presidents and 6,042 members. BJP state president Ravindra Chavan made a specific appeal to party workers, urging them to ensure 51% voting at every booth through door-to-door efforts to secure victory for all BJP candidates.
The BJP also faced criticism for fielding candidates from the same family or close relatives of sitting ministers and MLAs. The State Election Commission came under fire from Congress state president Harshvardhan Sapkal, who expressed regret over its functioning. His comments followed the Commission's November 29 announcement to postpone voting for some posts to December 20. Sapkal emphasized that conducting fair and transparent elections is the Commission's duty, a task he suggested has become challenging for it.
As Maharashtra prepares for this significant electoral exercise, the outcomes will be a crucial test of the ruling alliance's cohesion and the opposition's resilience at the grassroots level.
