Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has accused the Opposition of adopting a contradictory stance on the issue of local body elections. Speaking to reporters during Diwali celebrations, Shinde alleged that parties which once demanded immediate elections are now seeking delays, citing alleged irregularities in the voter rolls.
Calling out what he termed “double standards,” Shinde said,“The Opposition itself was insisting on holding elections on priority, and now that they are being scheduled, the same Opposition wants them postponed.” The same people who once hurled baseless allegations at the EC are now rushing to it with complaints,” he said.
He went on to criticise Opposition leaders for changing their approach toward the Election Commission. Opposition leaders from parties including Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and MNS recently met with the State Election Commissioner and Chief Electoral Officer. They raised concerns over discrepancies in electoral rolls — including duplicate entries and mismatched names across several assembly segments — and urged that these be corrected before conducting both rural and urban local body elections. As per current guidelines, the elections must be completed by January 31, 2026.
Shinde suggested that the Opposition’s sudden call for postponement stemmed from fear of electoral defeat. He expressed full confidence in the ruling Mahayuti alliance — comprising the BJP, his own Shiv Sena faction, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP — asserting that it is poised for a comprehensive victory in the upcoming polls.