Mahayuti’s one-sided lead in Maharashtra local body elections, know what is the condition of Mahavikas Aghadi

Mumbai:The initial trends of the municipal elections held in Maharashtra after a long wait have once again made the direction of the state’s politics clear. In the elections held in 246 Municipal Councils and 42 Nagar Panchayats, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has taken a decisive lead over the opposition. The dominance of the ruling coalition was clearly visible in the trends that came till around 11 am.

Mahayuti has a clear lead

According to preliminary data, Bharatiya Janata Party is leading in 133 municipal bodies. Whereas its allies Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are leading on 46 and 34 seats respectively. Overall, the Mahayuti alliance appears to be in a strong position in the urban and semi-urban areas of the state.

Opposition’s performance weak

If we talk about the opposition, Congress is leading in 29 local bodies. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) has been able to take lead in only six municipal bodies, while NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) is ahead in eight seats. These figures highlight the limited hold of the opposition parties and the weakness of their election strategy.

Elections held after a decade

It is noteworthy that these elections of local bodies in Maharashtra are being held after a gap of almost a decade. In such a situation, these results are being considered an important indicator of the public mood after the 2024 assembly elections. It is becoming quite clear from these results which political party has the strongest hold, especially in semi-urban and rural areas.

Growth despite anti-government issues

Before these elections, it was believed that Mahayuti could face a tough challenge. Issues like agricultural crisis in the state, financial problems of farmers, partial payment of welfare schemes announced for women and dissatisfaction in rural areas could have become big weapons for the opposition. Despite this, the ruling coalition’s lead in the results indicates that the opposition could not capitalize on these issues effectively.

Lack of coordination among opposition parties

During the election campaign, the lack of unity and clear strategy in the opposition camp was clearly visible. Congress did campaign vigorously in areas like Vidarbha and Marathwada, but Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders were not seen very active at the grassroots level. At the same time, NCP (SP) leaders also remained limited to their respective areas. On the contrary, the Mahayuti alliance used its full strength.

Aggressive campaigning by the ruling coalition

The Chief Minister and both the Deputy Chief Ministers themselves took the lead in the campaign of Mahayuti. He went to remote areas and held rallies and activated the workers. Its direct impact seems to be on the election atmosphere and results.

Impact despite tensions within the alliance

However, before the elections, tussle had also emerged within the Mahayuti. Many Shiv Sena ministers stayed away from cabinet meetings and accused BJP of pressurizing them. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had also raised the issue of coalition religion in the public forum. Despite this, this internal tension in the electoral arena could not have much impact on the votes.

Eye on Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections

These results may also impact the much talked about Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections to be held next month. Mahayuti’s morale is high due to the lead in local body elections, while for the opposition it is becoming a time for introspection.