Nashik Civic Polls Campaign Concludes with Intense Final Push
The high-voltage campaign for the Nashik Municipal Corporation election wrapped up on Tuesday evening. Political parties made their final appeals to voters before the January 15 polling day. The campaign featured everything from roadshows and bike rallies to door-to-door canvassing and social media outreach.
Tapovan Tree-Felling Controversy Takes Center Stage
The campaign gained significant momentum after the withdrawal of nominations on January 2. A major controversy dominated the political discourse. Opposition parties targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party over the proposed Tapovan tree-felling plan.
Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party all accused the BJP of sacrificing greenery for industrial interests. They claimed the party prioritized corporate gains over environmental concerns.
Thackeray Cousins Launch Joint Attack
At a joint rally on January 9, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray launched a strong attack on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. They alleged that the BJP allocated Tapovan land to select industrialists. The leaders also claimed the party awarded Kumbh Mela contracts for corporate benefits.
The Thackeray cousins criticized the chief minister for neglecting Nashik after "adopting" the city during the 2017 elections. They argued that the city received insufficient attention despite previous promises.
Fadnavis Responds with Development Promises
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis responded to the charges at a rally held at the same Golf Club grounds. He assured voters that Tapovan would not face commercial exploitation. The chief minister made several development promises for Nashik.
Fadnavis pledged to concrete sixty major roads that handle eighty percent of city traffic. He announced plans for a high-speed rail corridor connecting Nashik and Pune. The chief minister also hit back at his critics, branding the Thackeray cousins as "poll tourists" who only visit Nashik during elections.
Shinde and Samant Announce Additional Initiatives
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde pledged to protect Tapovan's greenery. He promised to accelerate the redevelopment of six thousand old buildings by offering higher floor space index. Shinde cited similar successful initiatives in Thane and Pune.
Industry Minister Uday Samant announced a two hundred crore rupee package for road upgrades. This funding will specifically target the Ambad and Satpur MIDC areas, addressing infrastructure needs in industrial zones.
Triangular Contest Takes Shape
The civic polls have developed into a triangular contest. The Bharatiya Janata Party is contesting alone without alliance partners. Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena has formed an alliance with Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party.
On the other side, the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition remains in the fray. This alliance includes Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Congress, and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). A total of seven hundred thirty-five candidates are competing for one hundred twenty-two seats across thirty-one wards. This includes two hundred four independent candidates.
Internal Challenges and Confident Predictions
The BJP faced internal turbulence during ticket distribution. Issues with A and B forms resulted in invalid nominations and rebel candidates. Approximately ten to twelve former corporators who were denied tickets are now contesting as independents or on Shinde-led Shiv Sena tickets.
BJP member Girish Mahajan, who camped in Nashik for four days, claimed his party would win one hundred seats. Shiv Sena (UBT) member Datta Gaikwad expressed confidence that the Maha Vikas Aghadi would secure a majority. He cited strong public response to the joint rally of the Thackeray cousins as evidence of their support.
The stage is now set for Nashik voters to make their choice on January 15. The election results will determine the city's leadership for the coming term.
