Uddhav Sena, MNS to contest Maha local bodies polls together

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said his party as well as the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena will contest the forthcoming Maharashtra local body and municipal elections together.

“Definitely. Both the Thackerays will come together and discuss this soon,” Sanjay Raut replied after media persons specifically asked him about a possible alliance with the MNS.

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“Our workers are confident that we will definitely get a majority in many municipal corporations including Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. This alliance has increased the confidence of our workers and they will succeed in the municipal elections in various cities,” Sanjay Raut said.

However, there has been no confirmation of a political alliance from MNS founder and president Raj Thackeray who held a meeting of his party workers on Monday, to prepare for the forthcoming Mumbai civic body elections.

When asked about a possible alliance with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena at the meeting on Monday, Raj Thackeray said, “Leave it to me with whom to form an alliance. Appropriate instructions will be given at the right time. This time the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be in our hands”.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare stated on Tuesday that the process of holding elections to municipal corporations, zilla parishads and village councils in Maharashtra will be held in phases after Diwali, by the end of October.

A review of officers, staff and technical equipment required for the election was also taken up at a review meeting on Tuesday which was attended by senior administrative officers from Nashik and North Maharashtra.

After the review meeting, Waghmare held a press conference about pre-election preparations. He said that the Supreme Court has ordered that elections should be held within four months. Accordingly, a phased programme will be prepared for elections to local bodies like municipal corporations, Waghmare said.

“Since local elections in the state are approaching, all political parties have started preparations. On Monday, the Supreme Court said that the elections will be held according to the OBC reservations and the ward structure of 2017. Therefore, the election work has now gained momentum,” Waghmare said.

Waghmare stated that it is impossible to hold elections to all municipal corporations, zilla parishads and village councils simultaneously due to insufficient manpower and machinery, which is why elections will be held in phases. He also said that voting for these elections will be held without Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).

“SC and ST reservations are fixed, but for OBC reservations, the lottery method will be adopted as per the Supreme Court’s decision. OBC reservations were also provided in the previous elections and the same principle will be followed this time as well,” Waghmare said.

Waghmare informed that work has started on voters lists and ward structure. Elections will be held on the basis of the voter list as on July 1, 2025. Once the draft ward structure is finalised, the next process will be implemented, he added.