Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Although the Mahayuti alliance shares power in the state, it appears to be breaking apart in the municipal council elections. In the district’s five municipal councils and one nagar panchayat election, the BJP and the Shinde Sena have ended up contesting directly against each other. While the alliance leadership claims unity, the ground reality shows that this unity exists only on paper.
Even though the BJP, Shinde Sena, and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) are jointly running the state government, in the district’s local elections each party has fielded its own candidate for the post of municipal council president, turning the election into a straight fight for dominance. Local MLAs have staked their personal prestige on these contests, causing the “friendship” within the Mahayuti to be forgotten and intensifying the competition.
Split at 5 places; direct contest: Mahayuti vs Mahayuti
In the municipal councils of Sillod, Vaijapur, Gangapur, Khuldabad, and Paithan, and in the Phulambri nagar panchayat, the BJP and the Shinde Sena are contesting directly against each other for the post of council president.
MLAs’ prestige at stake
Former minister from the Shinde Sena, Abdul Sattar, has fielded his son Sameer Sattar for the Sillod Municipal Council president post, while the BJP has fielded Manoj Morelu against him.
For the Phulambri nagar panchayat, BJP MLA Anuradha Chavan has taken a ‘go-it-alone’ stance and nominated Suhas Shirsat for the president’s post, while the Shinde Sena has fielded Ananda Dhoke against him.
The elections in Gangapur and Khuldabad municipal councils are of great prestige for MLA Prashant Bamb. In Gangapur, the BJP has fielded Pradeep Patil, while the Shinde Sena has nominated Rishikesh Patil. In Khuldabad, the BJP has fielded Parsaram Bargal, and the Shinde Sena has nominated Babasaheb Bargal.
The Vaijapur municipal council election is prestigious for Shinde Sena MLA Ramesh Bornare, who has fielded his brother Sanjay Bornare for the president’s post. Opposing him, the BJP has fielded Dineshsingh Pardeshi, who had earlier contested the assembly election as a Uddhav Sena candidate. The NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) has fielded Sanjay Jadhav.
In Kannad, the BJP has not fielded a candidate. However, within the Mahayuti, Swati Kolhe of the NCP and Anita Kawade of the Shinde Sena are contesting against each other.
Paithan MC election prestigious for Bhumres
The Paithan Municipal Council (PMC) election is prestigious for MP Sandipan Bhumre and his son MLA Vilas Bhumre. The Shinde Sena has fielded Vidya Kavsankar for the post of council president, while the BJP has nominated Mohini Suraj Lolge.