Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Reasserting their firm grip over Paithan’s politics, MP Sandipan Bhumre and MLA Vilas Bhumre have steered their camp to a sweeping victory in the municipal council elections. The father-son duo secured an absolute majority by winning the president’s post along with 19 councillor seats, establishing one-party control over the civic body. Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) nominee Vidya Kavasankar clinched the president’s post with a decisive margin of 3,751 votes.
Throughout the campaign, the Bhumres maintained a strong on-ground presence, engaging directly with voters, implementing booth-level micro-planning, and energising party workers. This focused strategy blunted opposition efforts and once again underlined the effectiveness of the much-discussed ‘Bhumre Pattern’ in Paithan.
BJP pays price for overconfidence
Despite being a Mahayuti ally, the BJP’s decision to contest independently proved costly. The party struggled to gain traction and was left with just one seat, a setback that many observers had anticipated well before polling day. In contrast, the Uddhav Sena appeared organisationally weak, with leader Dattatray Gorde campaigning largely alone. Poor coordination and an unclear strategy resulted in the party managing only a single councillor.
Congress goes solo, alters arithmetic
The Congress, opting to stay out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and fight on its own, surprised many by winning four seats. Political observers believe that a Congress–Uddhav Sena alliance could have significantly altered the electoral dynamics and made the contest far more competitive in Paithan.