At the state level, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is still in place, although it is unclear if the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), and Shiv Sena (UBT) would run together in the municipal elections.
Mumbai: Political parties in Maharashtra have gone into full swing as the state’s civic elections approach, hosting internal meetings, strategy camps, and grassroots outreach initiatives. Some of these events are spread throughout the state, while others are concentrated in their traditional strongholds.
At the state level, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is still in place, although it is unclear if the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), and Shiv Sena (UBT) would run together in the municipal elections. However, each party is individually mobilizing its cadre on the ground.
The Mahayuti alliance, on the other hand, has made it clear that while it is willing to cooperate when needed, each party would give local workers’ opportunities top priority.
‘Sankalp Shibir’ by NCP (Sharad Pawar) in Mumbai
In Mumbai’s Ghatkopar, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) hosted a day-long Sankalp Shibir five days after its lavish celebration commemorating 26 years since its founding. Many people interpreted the event as an attempt to establish the party’s presence in Mumbai, where its own electoral power is weak. However, Fahadh Ahmed, the leader of the youth wing, stated that “We will make sure the Mayor of the city is made with the help of NCP (SP).”
Speaking to Mumbai-based party officials, Sharad Pawar urged them to maintain their unity and get ready for the upcoming political battle.
“This camp has been organised today to prepare collectively for the upcoming political struggle,” he stated. He went on to say, “We saw good success in the Lok Sabha elections, but the same was not reflected in the Vidhan Sabha,” in reference to the current election outcomes.
Mr. Pawar emphasized that local leaders must take the initiative and acknowledged the public’s mistrust of the political process: “We are getting ready for the Mumbai municipal elections… We will unwaveringly support Rakhi Jadhav in whatever choice she makes.”
Ahead of the campaign, the party has introduced “Tukaram vs Nathuram” as a new ideological slogan to emphasize its message. Recent local-level defections to the rival NCP faction are also interpreted as the reason for the shibir.
Meanwhile, Jayant Patil criticized the BJP for allegedly moving important projects outside of Mumbai.
“The IFSC Centre planned for BKC was shifted overnight to Gujarat… the National Marine Police Security and NSG centres were also moved,” he stated.
Mr. Patil said that the patent office headquarters had been relocated to Delhi in an effort to financially undermine Mumbai.
He also criticized the BMC and the state government for their inaction on waterlogging and stalled civic projects.
He added that BEST’s fleet had severely shrunk despite ticket prices rising, and that “the city continues to face waterlogging despite Rs 1,000 crore spent.”
Mr. Patil urged employees to get ready for the ward-level elections, emphasizing the importance of fresh faces and active participation on social media. He stated, “We haven’t decided on MVA yet – we may fight together or separately,” but that internal preparations must be made anyhow.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Encourages Preparation at the Local Level
With a meeting of all Shakha Pramukhs, Shiv Sena (UBT), a significant MVA partner, has also started the preparations. Uddhav Thackeray, the party’s leader, assessed organizational preparedness and gave local leaders the order to begin outreach right away.
In addition to strengthening booth-level institutions and highlighting the differences between the current administration and the party’s previous governance, each ward-level leader has been instructed to contact at least 300 homes.
Seven years later, the BMC is running for office, and its goal is to win a full majority and the symbolic “saffron flag over the corporation.” Deputy mayor-responsible units are now conducting field visits, internal meetings, voter list audits, and inter-shakha coordination. Particularly in the areas of water supply, health, sanitation, education, and the completion of significant projects like the Coastal Road, the party is concentrating on its prior record of governance.
Cadre Training Is the Main Topic of the BJP-RSS Coordination Meeting
Conversely, in Smriti Mandir in Nagpur, BJP leaders such as State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis participated in a protracted coordination meeting with the RSS.
In-depth talks on how to get party workers ready for the next local body elections were part of the four-plus-hour meeting.
The “Ghar Chalo” campaign, an outreach initiative to bring state and federal programs to every home, was a major focus. With a focus on public awareness, training BJP employees in communication and scheme delivery was given top priority.
The meeting also discussed “Panch Parivartan” (Five Transformations), which include environmental awareness, family values, civic responsibilities, social peace, and Sanskrit promotion, in light of the centennial of the RSS this year. Future initiatives like “Yuva Samvad” (Youth Dialogue) and ongoing cadre development were also covered.
