Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
After the announcement of the reservation draw for the municipal corporation elections, tension has started to rise among some aspiring candidates in certain prabhags. Each prabhag requires four candidates to contest as a team, but in many places, finding equally strong candidates has become a challenge. Even if someone is willing to contest, they often lack financial strength. In prabhags with a population of around 40,000 to 45,000, it is difficult for a financially weak candidate to sustain their campaign. As a result, all political parties have now started searching for candidates across the 29 prabhags.
There is uncertainty about whether the Mahayuti or the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will remain intact for the elections. Hence, all parties have begun testing and preparing their own candidates with the possibility of contesting independently. Under the earlier ward system, even a weak candidate could win with the strength of the party or organisation. But under the new multi-member prabhag system, an unfamiliar face will not work. Most former corporators have already chosen the category most favourable to them within their ward and started searching for candidates for the remaining categories. Only if all four candidates unite can the election be won easily. If even one of them turns out to be weak, the other three could also face defeat.
The BJP currently has the longest list of aspiring candidates, followed by Uddhav Sena and Shinde Sena, both of which have many hopefuls seeking tickets. In Muslim-majority wards, the AIMIM also has a long line of aspirants in one or two categories. Some party leaders have even started trying to woo strong candidates from rival parties. However, when such a candidate asks, “If I join your party, who will be my three teammates?,” the leaders often have no answer.
Defections on the rise
All parties aim to win as many seats as possible in the municipal corporation. Hence, they are devising strategies to ensure four equally strong candidates contest in every prabhag. Leaders are open to ‘imported’ candidates from other parties, if needed. Therefore, in the coming days, large-scale defections and party switching are expected.
No loyalty among candidates
For many candidates, the only goal is to become a corporator; not party loyalty. They are ready to switch parties if it increases their chances of winning. If several Muslim candidates contest the election from Uddhav Sena, it should not come as a surprise. After all, Uddhav Sena is a part of the MVA alliance.