Shinde's Shiv Sena Secures Decisive Victory in Thane Civic Elections
Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction achieved a resounding triumph in the Thane Municipal Corporation elections. The party captured a clear majority, winning 75 seats in the 131-member House. This impressive tally includes six seats where candidates faced no opposition.
UBT Suffers Major Setback in Historic Stronghold
The Uddhav Thackeray-led UBT faction experienced a severe drubbing in Thane. This city holds special significance as the place where the Shiv Sena first gained a power seat after its formation. The UBT managed to secure only a single victory. Greenhorn Shahji Khuspe defeated Sena strongman Ashok Vaity in the Kajuwadi ward 13. Interestingly, this ward is home to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's residence.
This election marks the second time since 2017 that the Shiv Sena has won a single-handed majority in Thane. The contest was viewed as a crucial prestige battle for both Sena factions. Shinde successfully maintained a winning streak for his group. His faction's overwhelming performance has effectively removed the "traitor" label often attached to his team. More importantly, it strengthens his claim as the legitimate heir to Balasaheb Thackeray's political legacy.
BJP and NCP Performances Shape New Corporation Dynamics
The Bharatiya Janata Party secured 28 seats in the election. Combined with the Sena's numbers, the Mahayuti alliance now possesses more than enough strength to appoint its mayor for the Thane House. In the 2017 polls, the Sena had won a majority with nearly 67 candidates.
The two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party collectively won 20 seats. This represents a noticeable decline from the 34 seats the party secured in 2017. The Sharad Pawar faction contested 41 seats and won 12. Among their winners is greenhorn Abhijit Pawar, who recently made headlines by briefly switching loyalty to the Ajit Pawar camp before returning to the Sharad Pawar fold. The Ajit Pawar faction secured 9 seats.
Congress Draws a Blank, MIM Makes Gains
In a significant development, the Congress party failed to win a single seat out of the 65 it contested. This creates a "Congress-free Thane" scenario. City party president Vikrant Chavan, who had represented ward 7 for several decades, also lost his seat. A local party leader remarked that this might be the first time in the corporation's history that Congress will have no representative in the House.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen emerged as a surprise performer. The party won 5 seats in the Thane House, increasing its tally by three from the previous term.
Post-Election Reactions and Minor Disruptions
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed gratitude to Thane's voters. He specifically thanked the laadki bahins (sisters) for their support. Shinde highlighted that the Sena broke its previous record by crossing the 71-seat mark. He stated that the Mahayuti alliance has collectively secured over 100 seats and will soon appoint its mayor.
The counting process witnessed a minor incident of friction between rival groups at the New Horizon Scholars School in Hiranandani Estate on Friday evening. Authorities deployed additional police personnel to manage the situation.
Several rebel candidates from the BJP and Sena, who were denied tickets at the last minute, contested as independents from prominent seats. However, they failed to make a significant impact on the election results.
