Mahayuti Alliance Breaks Congress Bastion in Kolhapur Civic Polls
Kolhapur witnessed a significant political shift as the Mahayuti alliance secured victory in the Municipal Corporation elections. These polls occurred after a ten-year gap, marking a crucial moment for local governance.
Congress Emerges Largest Party But Falls Short
The Congress party, led by MLC Satej Patil, won thirty-four seats. This performance made Congress the single largest party in the eighty-one-seat corporation. However, they needed forty-one seats for a clear majority and could not reach that number.
The Mahayuti coalition, comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, achieved a combined total of forty-five seats. This gave them a comfortable majority to form the administration. BJP secured twenty-six seats, Shiv Sena took fifteen, and NCP won four.
Celebrations and Claims of Historic Victory
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dhananjay Mahadik celebrated at the party office with workers. He declared that history had been made in Kolhapur. "Voters understood that development of Kolhapur can be done only by Mahayuti," Mahadik stated. He emphasized their strong strike rate, noting they won twenty-four out of thirty-eight contested seats.
Congress leader Satej Patil addressed the media after counting. He expressed gratitude to citizens for the mandate but noted narrow losses. "Our four candidates lost by a margin of 100 to 150 votes," Patil revealed. One candidate lost by just sixteen votes. He mentioned cross-voting affected their performance in some areas.
Third Front Fails to Make Impact
The alliance of NCP (SP), Aam Aadmi Party, and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi did not win any seats. Shiv Sena (UBT) managed to secure only one seat. The Jan Surajya Shakti party also won one seat.
Post-Result Tensions and Clashes
Soon after results were declared, tensions erupted in parts of the city.
- Groups clashed in Shivaji Peth and Kanan Nagar areas, leading to stone pelting.
- Unidentified individuals vandalized the Shiv Sena (UBT) party office in Takala.
- Police conducted minor lathicharge to disperse crowds and deployed additional forces.
In Kanan Nagar's Ward 4, a clash occurred between supporters of Dilip Pawar and Mayur Pawar. Women also participated in the altercation. Stone pelting damaged three houses in Shivaji Peth and a jeep.
Notable Electoral Outcomes
The election saw some remarkable individual results.
- Narrowest Victory: BJP candidate Pallavi Desai won Ward 5C by just sixteen votes. She received 7,164 votes against Congress rival Saroj Sarnaik's 7,148 votes. A recount confirmed her win.
- Tea Seller's Wife Wins: Dhanashri Koravi, wife of tea seller Mahesh Koravi, won on a Congress ticket. She defeated BJP's Aparna Powar in Ward 16B, reserved for women.
Political Significance of Kolhapur Polls
This election held high prestige amid state political developments. Kolhapur Municipal Corporation was the only civic body where BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP contested together as Mahayuti. A fierce contest unfolded between Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates.
Results varied across wards. Some saw very close margins, while others recorded one-sided victories. The overall voter turnout involved approximately 3,29,000 votes. Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) together received over 1,50,000 votes.
The election outcome sets the stage for a Mahayuti mayor in Kolhapur, aligning with their power at state and central levels.
