Campaigning for Maharashtra's urban local body elections reaches fever pitch, with Mahayuti leaders- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar- deploying full force across all local bodies, though visible friction emerges between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena.
Shinde's fiery speech targets police over false cases
In Satara's Phaltan, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde issued a direct warning to police during a rally, decrying action against his workers and vowing retaliation amid Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis' portfolio oversight.
"I'm known for my calm nature, but when the time comes, I correct characters decisively- as Maharashtra, and 32 countries witnessed in 2022," Shinde asserted, referencing his rebellion. He addressed "Phaltan's beloved sisters," promising intervention on complaints of false cases and harassment against "Ladli Behens," urging officials to resist illegal pressure: "Don't bow to undue influence; remember, any injustice to my workers ties back to me- I know every account, every action".
Shinde boasts development record, vows no interference
Eknath Shinde highlighted his "giving bank" ethos in Karad/Satara, distributing over Rs 400 crore from CM relief fund aiding 70,000 patients without favoritism. Recalling a Kolhapur event under "Shasan Aplya Davar," he shared a Muslim woman's gratitude for saving her child's life with Rs 3 lakh aid, naming her "Dua" in thanks: "Files reach me, I sign instantly- it's public money for public good". He contrasted this generosity, declaring readiness to remove obstacles blocking his path while emphasizing non-interference unless provoked.
The Maharashtra State Election Commission has scheduled elections for 288 urban local bodies- 246 Municipal Councils and 42 Nagar Panchayats- spanning all six administrative divisions on December 2, with results on December 3. These polls cover Konkan (27 bodies), Nashik (49), Pune (60), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (52), Amravati (45), and Nagpur (55), blending established councils with new Nagar Panchayats, while 29 Municipal Corporations follow later.
Voter scale and reservation breakdown
Over 1.07 crore voters, 53.79 lakh males, 53.23 lakh females, and 775 others, will vote at around 13,355 polling stations using EVMs based on October 31 electoral rolls. The contests feature 3,820 wards and 6,859 seats (6,145 in Municipal Councils, 714 in Nagar Panchayats), with reservations including 3,492 for women, 895 for SC, 338 for ST, and 1,821 for OBC. A new mobile app enhances transparency by providing voter details, candidate affidavits, and duplicate voter checks.