Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday that the BJP and Shiv Sena will contest the upcoming civic elections together in most municipalities, reported the PTI.
He said that the efforts were also underway to finalise seat-sharing arrangements among the Mahayuti allies, including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), in as many corporations as possible.
Fadnavis stated that the prolonged rule by administrators in several urban bodies was against democratic principles.
He welcomed the State Election Commission’s (SEC) announcement of the schedule for elections to 29 municipal corporations, including the cash-rich BMC 2026 polls in Mumbai.
Mahayuti will work together
CM Fadnavis said the Mahayuti alliance, which includes BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, will generally work together. However, in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP are likely to contest separately, in what he called a friendly contest, due to both parties being major players in the region, according to the PTI.
“There will be a BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in most cities, while in some areas, BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP may contest together,” CM Fadnavis said, as per the PTI.
“In a few places, BJP and NCP might also form an alliance. Shiv Sena will remain part of the Mahayuti almost everywhere,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the Mahayuti coalition would secure a majority in municipal bodies, citing the development work carried out by the government over the last five years.
Friendly contests in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad
CM Fadnavis noted that in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, a separate contest between the BJP and NCP would be amicable, without any hostility. He highlighted the BJP’s contribution to urban development in these cities and said discussions with Ajit Pawar had ensured a cooperative approach, the news agency reported.
Electoral concerns
On concerns about electoral rolls, CM Fadnavis said discrepancies could not justify postponing elections. He mentioned that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process had begun to address these issues. He also suggested that in future, electoral rolls could be placed on blockchain to enhance accuracy and transparency, as per the PTI.
Regarding Nagpur and Chandrapur, he noted that reservation quotas had breached the 50 per cent ceiling. Although the Supreme Court has allowed elections, results will be subject to final court decisions.
Development projects and urban governance
Speaking after inaugurating development projects worth Rs 3,000 crore, CM Fadnavis reiterated that the upcoming civic polls would give the public a chance to support continued urban development, the news agency reported.
