The stage is now set for high-stakes municipal elections across the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. The deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended on Friday, finalising the electoral battlefield for all five municipal corporations. The upcoming polls are poised for intense campaigning, marked by internal rebellions, splintered alliances, and multi-cornered contests.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A Crowded Fray
In the high-profile Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation, the electoral picture has crystallised. From an initial flood of 1,413 nominations, the field has been whittled down. A total of 554 candidates withdrew their papers, while 97 nominations were rejected during scrutiny. This leaves a substantial 859 candidates in the fray across the city's 115 wards.
Despite concerted efforts by BJP leaders, including personal outreach to pacify disgruntled workers, internal rebellion persists. The discord is so deep that some wards will witness contests between family members of prominent local politicians. In a notable development, AIMIM's official candidate, Parveen Kaiser Khan, also withdrew from the race. With the final list confirmed, political parties have shifted gears, intensifying ward-level meetings and door-to-door campaigns.
Rebellion and Alliances Across the Region
The political dynamics vary significantly across the other four corporations. In Latur, 359 candidates will contest for 70 seats after 268 withdrawals. Here, the Congress and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi are fighting as allies, though their precise candidate count remains unspecified. The BJP, NCP, and NCP (SP) are contesting separately. The BJP faces a significant challenge with rebellion in 28 wards, where party rebels are taking on the official nominees.
Over in Parbhani, 411 candidates are vying for 65 seats. While the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) claim an alliance, candidates from both parties are competing against each other in several wards—a scenario politicians are terming "friendly contests." The NCP has fielded 57 candidates, the highest among all parties. The collapse of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance over seat-sharing has resulted in triangular contests in most wards here.
BJP's Mixed Fortunes: Curbing Rebellion in Nanded, Family Politics in Jalna
The picture for the BJP shows a stark contrast between two corporations. In Nanded-Waghala, BJP MPs Ashok Chavan and Ajit Gopchhade successfully managed to curb large-scale rebellion. After finalising 67 official candidates, over 150 aspirants had filed nominations against them. Following two days of intense negotiations, most rebels withdrew. Shiv Sena candidate Mahendra Pimple from Ward 5 also withdrew and rejoined the BJP. Party leaders persuaded several independents and former allies to step aside, easing the pressure on official nominees.
Meanwhile, in Jalna, the BJP's strategy reveals a different story. The party fielded 64 candidates, leaving one seat for its ally, the Republican Party of India (Athawale). Intriguingly, 35 of these BJP candidates have Congress roots—31 shifted directly from Congress and four came via Shiv Sena. The influence of former MLA Kailas Gorantyal is evident, with many of his supporters securing tickets. While Gorantyal is not contesting himself, his wife, Sangeeta Gorantyal, and son, Akshay, are BJP candidates. The personalised nature of this civic battle is underscored by multiple wards featuring contests between family members.
With the candidate lists now locked in, all political parties are gearing up for a final, fierce campaign push. The results in these five municipal corporations will be a crucial indicator of the political mood in Maharashtra's Marathwada region, testing the strength of established alliances and the resolve of parties facing internal dissent.
