Opposition corporators remain neutral; abstain from voting

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

In the municipal corporation elections, voters rejected Uddhav Sena, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Congress, with only a handful of candidates from these parties being elected. On Tuesday, during the mayor and the deputy mayor elections, the corporators faced the crucial question of whom to vote for.

For the first time since 1988, a party (Shiv Sena) that had been in power six times was forced to remain neutral. Following party policy, their corporators were not allowed to vote for either BJP or AIMIM. Between 1988 and 2015, Shiv Sena had secured control of the municipal corporation with the support of allies and independent corporators.

Following the split in Shiv Sena, Uddhav Sena suffered heavy losses. In the 2026 municipal elections, only six Uddhav Sena candidates were elected, never before had the party fallen to single-digit representation. Meanwhile, 13 candidates from Shinde Sena, the faction that split from Shiv Sena, won seats and chose to align with the ruling BJP.

During the mayor and deputy mayor election on Tuesday, all six Uddhav Sena corporators were present in the House, but remained neutral. Similarly, the four VBA corporators chose not to cast their votes. Satinder Singh Oberoi of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) was seen seated with Mahayuti corporators but did not vote. The lone Congress corporator attended the House but left without voting.

As a result, only BJP and AIMIM members actively contested the voting, while other parties maintained strict neutrality, reflecting the changed dynamics in the municipal corporation.