Political negotiations for the upcoming Amravati Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections hit a major roadblock on Monday when talks between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde broke down. The dispute centers on the allocation of electoral seats, threatening the stability of the ruling alliance in the region.
Alliance Talks Collapse Amid Seat-Sharing Dispute
The seat-sharing meeting took an unexpected turn when senior Shiv Sena (Shinde) leader and former BJP figure, Jagdish Gupta, staged a dramatic walkout. His protest was against the proposed allocation of 16 seats to his party, a number he evidently found unacceptable. Gupta departed the venue after uttering "Jai Shri Ram," leaving the discussions in disarray.
In a statement to the press, Gupta indicated he would clarify his political stance at a press conference on Tuesday. He hinted at the possibility of contesting independently, suggesting a potential rebellion that could split votes and complicate the electoral landscape for the ruling coalition.
Nomination Frenzy Grips Amravati
Parallel to the alliance drama, the process of filing nominations for the AMC polls gained significant momentum. By the close of Monday, a substantial 3,015 nomination forms had been collected by prospective candidates. Of these, over 250 candidates had already submitted their papers officially.
Tuesday, December 30, is anticipated to be exceptionally busy at all AMC zone offices. This day marks the final opportunity for candidates from political parties and independents to file their nominations, with the deadline set for 3 pm.
The zone offices have already transformed into hubs of political activity, witnessing overt displays of strength. Candidates arrived accompanied by rallies of supporters, with the process often punctuated by the bursting of crackers and the waving of party flags during the submission of papers.
Other Parties Ramp Up Campaign Efforts
Meanwhile, other political formations are actively solidifying their strategies. The Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, which has entered into an alliance with the Congress party for 11 out of 22 prabhags (constituency groups), announced a list of 20 candidates who filed their nominations on Monday.
The Congress party stated that its final candidate list would be announced late on Monday night. Congress leader Dr. Sunil Deshmukh informed reporters that "the list is expected to come from Mumbai around midnight."
The Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) is also navigating the pre-poll environment cautiously, especially in light of defections by several of its leaders. There is reported heavy demand for tickets from the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, various factions of the Republican Party of India (RPI), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). A significant number of independent candidates have also thrown their hats into the ring, adding to the competitive fray.
Next Steps in the Electoral Process
Following the nomination deadline, the scrutiny of all submitted papers will be conducted on Wednesday, December 31, starting at 11 am under the supervision of the Returning Officer. This step is crucial for validating the candidacies.
The district administration has made a formal appeal to all candidates and political parties to strictly adhere to the Model Code of Conduct and cooperate in ensuring a peaceful, fair, and orderly election process.
