Post-municipal results trigger tug-of-war over ‘big brother’ status

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

With the district’s municipal council results now declared, the Mahayuti has entered a phase of internal political positioning over leadership dominance. The BJP has reiterated that it remains the senior partner and that future seat-sharing will follow this principle, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena has pointed to the verdict as a clear signal of public support in its favour.

The results, announced on Sunday, covered six municipal councils and one nagar panchayat. The Shinde Sena secured two municipal council president posts, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP group and the BJP one each, while the Congress won two. The Thackeray faction gained leadership of one nagar panchayat. The outcomes have added a new dimension to discussions ahead of the municipal corporation elections. The Shinde Sena led in terms of corporators, winning 54 seats across three councils and two president posts, though it failed to secure representation in three others. The Ajit Pawar group recorded 39 corporators, while the BJP won 38 along with one president post. On this basis, the BJP maintains that these results cannot be directly linked to the upcoming civic polls.

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‘Yes, BJP is the big brother’

“The BJP is the senior partner. Over the last four to five years, the party has strengthened its organisation and delivered development, resolving several public issues. Considering its performance at the national, state and regional levels, the BJP remains the number one party,”

— Shirish Boralakar, former city president, BJP

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‘BJP will remain the big brother’

“With increasing inductions into the party, the BJP’s strength across the state, and its top position in the municipal elections, the party has emerged as number one with 120 municipal council presidents. Hence, in the district as well as the municipal corporation elections, the BJP will continue as the senior partner,”

— Kishor Shitole, city president

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‘Voters have decided the big brother’

“In the municipal elections, voters have clearly favoured the Shinde Sena. The people have accepted us as the senior partner,”

— Rajendra Janjal, district chief, Shinde Sena

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‘Our strike rate is higher in the district’

“After the municipal council results, the Mahayuti has achieved significant success. However, the people have decided who is stronger. The BJP contested more seats across the state and therefore won more, but in this district, our strike rate is stronger,”

— Sanjay Shirsat, guardian minister