Mumbai: The BJP–Shiv Sena coalition has secured 66 civic wards in Maharashtra without a single vote being cast, while two additional seats were won unopposed by Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party, taking the total number of uncontested winners to 68 ahead of the upcoming municipal corporation elections in the state.
Friday marked the final day for withdrawal of nomination forms, during which several opposition candidates stepped out of the race, enabling these leaders to win without contest. The opposition, including the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, alleged that the withdrawals were influenced by intimidation and financial inducement. The State Election Commission has directed a formal inquiry to determine whether pressure or payments played any role in clearing the field for unopposed victories.
The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation recorded the highest number of uncontested winners, with 21 Mahayuti alliance candidates being elected, including 15 from the BJP and six from the Shiv Sena. In Jalgaon, both the BJP and the Shiv Sena gained six uncontested victories each, reinforcing their hold in a district that has historically favoured the two parties. Panvel saw three BJP candidates win unopposed, while Panvel in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region added seven BJP winners to the tally.
Bhiwandi, known for its political alignment to the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the ruling alliance, delivered six uncontested victories to the BJP, including in areas previously seen as favourable to the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar faction). In Thane district, despite internal differences between coalition partners, six candidates from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena were elected without contest. The district also witnessed protests by the MNS, which questioned the fairness of the nomination withdrawal process.
In Ahilya Nagar, the BJP and NCP each won seats unopposed, while in Dhule, three BJP candidates secured victories uncontested. In Ahilya Nagar, the NCP won two seats and the BJP one, rounding off smaller but politically relevant gains.
Political observers said that the uncontested wins provide strategic advantage to the ruling alliance, reducing the number of wards requiring active campaigning and allowing the coalition to redirect resources to contested regions. The gains come shortly after municipal council election results that favoured the same coalition, further strengthening its civic footprint ahead of state and national political cycles in 2026.
