68 candidates from the ruling Mahayuti alliance were elected without opposition in a number of local councils prior to the municipal body elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 44 of these candidates, demonstrating the alliance’s significant grassroots organizational presence.
On Friday, a number of candidates from other parties and alliances withdrew their candidacy papers, making it possible for the 68 Mahayuti candidates to win without facing any opposition.
With 21 Mahayuti candidates elected—15 from the BJP and six from the Shiv Sena—Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) had the most winners.
A dozen corporators were added to Jalgaon in north Maharashtra, which has traditionally been seen as a bastion for both the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Each party won six seats without opposition. Seven BJP candidates were elected in Panvel, in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, following the same pattern.
Additionally, the party won six uncontested elections in Bhiwandi, a long-standing bastion of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction.
Eknath Shinde’s deputy chief minister’s Shiv Sena won six elections despite a clear breach with the BJP in Thane. In the meantime, the MNS, led by Raj Thackeray, organized a demonstration in the district to voice concerns about the methods and strategy of the current government.
The BJP won one seat in Ahilya Nagar, the NCP won two, and three BJP candidates won uncontested in Dhule.
Political analysts predict that the uncontested victories will give the state’s ruling alliance a new lease on life after their nearly flawless victory in the most recent city council elections. Additionally, they will free up the parties to concentrate on campaigning in other regions.
