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Maharashtra Gears Up for Crucial Municipal Elections After Nine Years
Mumbai, India – Maharashtra is set to witness a significant political event tomorrow as over 260 municipalities and Nagar Panchayats go to the polls after a nine-year hiatus. Over one crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots in what is being seen as a crucial test for the ruling Mahayuti coalition and a vital opportunity for the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to regain momentum after recent setbacks.
The elections have been marked by intriguing alliances and rivalries at the local level. While the Mahayuti coalition partners – BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) – are primarily competing against each other, the elections also present an opportunity for the Congress, Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) to revitalize their support base.
Efforts to forge pre-poll alliances between the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi failed to materialize, leading to a multi-cornered contest in many areas. Interestingly, some regions have seen unconventional alliances, such as the coming together of rival Shiv Sena factions (Thackeray and Shinde) in Pune and Konkan, while NCP factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar have also joined hands in certain locations.
The BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde), and NCP (Ajit Pawar) have campaigned vigorously, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar holding numerous rallies across the state. The Congress saw active campaigning from state president . However, key leaders like Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray remained largely absent from the campaign trail, pointing to the election being predominantly contested between the ruling coalition partners.
Historically, the ruling party has had an edge in Maharashtra’s municipal elections. The BJP emerged as the frontrunner in the 2016-17 elections, and the party aims to maintain its dominance this year.
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