Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
The Congress registered a surprise victory in the Kannad municipal council elections by securing the president’s post, upsetting the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). The NCP emerged as the single largest party with 12 seats, while the Congress won six.
Backed by former MLA Namdeorao Pawar, Ranjana Pawar and Shaikh Javed, Congress candidate Shaikh Fareen Abdul Javed defeated NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) nominee Swati Kolhe by 858 votes to claim the top post. Despite losing the presidency, the NCP–BJP alliance, led by former MLA Nitin Patil, district president Sanjay Khambayte and Santosh Kolhe, secured a combined strength of 15 councillors in the council. The outcome dealt a significant blow to Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MLA Sanjana Jadhav. Her group contested the president’s post and 18 seats but won only three councillor positions, with their candidate Anita Kavade finishing third. The results also reflected mixed fortunes for political couples. Congress president Sheikh Fareen Abdul Javed and her husband Abdul Javed were both elected, while NCP’s Swati Santosh Kolhe and Santosh Kolhe suffered defeat. Voters also rejected Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) candidates Anita Kavade and her husband Kakasahab Kavade.