68 seats, no voting: What’s really happening in Maharashtra’s civic polls?

Of the 66 uncontested seats, 44 have been won by the BJP, which governs the state in alliance with Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The NCP has won two seats unopposed, while the remaining seats have gone to other coalition partners.

The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district recorded the highest number of uncontested victories.

Other civic bodies where candidates were elected unopposed include Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Panvel, Bhiwandi, Dhule, Jalgaon and Ahilyanagar.

Opposition parties, including Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), have alleged that the ruling coalition used money power and intimidation to force opposition candidates to withdraw their nominations.

They claimed this enabled the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar) alliance to consolidate control over 68 seats without a contest.

The State Election Commission has launched a probe into the withdrawals following the Opposition’s allegations to ascertain whether candidates were coerced or induced to pull out of the race. Friday was the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

The BJP, however, dismissed the allegations and attributed the unopposed victories to the popularity of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the party’s electoral strategy.

Polling for the remaining seats in the municipal corporation elections is scheduled to be held on January 15.