Candidates go solo as party panels struggle for coordination in municipal polls

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

With campaigning intensifying over the past two days for the municipal elections, coordination among party panels has become a challenge. In ward-based elections, some parties have four candidates in a single panel, while others have three, making joint campaigning difficult. As a result, many strong candidates have adopted a “go solo” strategy, focusing on personal outreach rather than relying on weaker panel members.

With only seven days or 168 hours left for campaigning, 859 candidates are vying for votes. Many parties are now contesting largely on their own strength. While initially all panel candidates campaigned together, some major candidates have broken away to run independent campaigns due to poor voter response to other panel members. Candidates are using all available resources to reach voters, but internal disputes, financial tensions, and lack of coordination have reduced collective campaigning. In some wards, strong candidates from opposing parties are reportedly negotiating informal arrangements, agreeing to mutually support each other. These alliances may only be revealed after the election results.