The BJP-led Mahayuti achieved a historic landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly election. However, elections for municipal corporations, district councils, and city councils, essential for grassroots activism, have not taken place in five years. A recent meeting with the state president highlighted the anticipated future elections, emphasizing that the BJP should contest them independently. Officials expressed their intent to avoid alliances with the Shinde Sena and the NCP Ajit Pawar faction.
Following the grand alliance's significant success in the assembly elections, confidence among the involved parties has risen. The BJP emerged with the most seats, fueling its leaders' desire to compete in local self-government elections on their own. With many aspirants within the party, failure to provide adequate opportunities could lead to discontent and rebellion. Numerous seats are projected to be contested by narrow margins, necessitating a strong effort to secure victories in municipal elections. Consequently, party leaders have committed to pursuing these elections independently to allow more candidates the chance to run.
Municipal elections have not been held since April 29, 2020, when the term for these bodies expired. The postponement resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing complications related to OBC reservations still pending in court, along with political instability in the state. However, the recent success of the Mahayuti coalition has prompted all parties, including the BJP, to advocate for resuming elections for local self-government bodies.
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We have formally requested from our state president the opportunity to contest these elections independently, stressing their importance for party workers. As a result, expectations for candidacies are high. The BJP aims to field candidates in all municipal wards, expressing strong confidence in their success. Compared to the Lok Sabha elections, the Mahayuti secured all three city seats largely due to the exceptional efforts of party workers and officials across constituencies.