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Maharashtra Congress main Harshwardhan Sapkal on Monday (January 5, 2026) accused the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance of “swallowing democracy” done coercive tactics successful the run-up to the January 15 municipal elections. His remarks travel amid mounting contention implicit reports that 68 candidates from the ruling alliance person already secured unopposed victories crossed the State. While helium sought that elections beryllium held successful each these wards, wherever voters beryllium fixed NOTA option, an MNS person approached the Bombay High Court seeking a court-monitored probe successful it.
Addressing a property league successful Mumbai, Sapkal alleged that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar person “wrapped up democracy” by utilizing pressure, threats, and wealth powerfulness to unit rival candidates retired of the fray. “The rule of escaped and just elections has been severely compromised. A blatant wealth crippled is underway adjacent earlier polling,” helium said, adding that the Election Commission has remained a “mute spectator” to these developments.
The civic polls cover 893 wards crossed 29 municipal corporations, with 33,606 nominations filed for 2,869 seats, according to the State Election Commission (SEC). The contention erupted aft respective absorption candidates withdrew their nominations connected the past day, paving the mode for uncontested wins successful aggregate wards. Unofficial tallies amusement the BJP has bagged 44 of these seats, Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction 22, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP two, portion 1 spot went to an Islamic enactment candidate. These victories span cardinal municipal corporations, including Kalyan-Dombivli (15 BJP, 7 Sena), Thane (7 Sena), Jalgaon (6 BJP, 6 Sena), Panvel (6 BJP), Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad (2 BJP each), Dhule (4 BJP), and Ahilyanagar (3 BJP).
Mr. Sapkal demanded that voters beryllium allowed to workout the NOTA (None of the Above) option even successful wards wherever candidates person been elected unopposed. “Citizens indispensable person the close to cull candidates. Denying this prime undermines the precise essence of democracy,” helium said. He besides invoked Jawaharlal Nehru’s inclusive furniture arsenic an illustration of antiauthoritarian values, contrasting it with what helium described arsenic the existent regime’s “hunger for power.”
The Congress person further targeted Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, accusing him of misusing his law presumption to benefit relatives contesting from Colaba wards. Mr. Sapkal alleged that Mr. Narwekar obstructed absorption candidates and weakened the anti-defection law, demanding that the President of India disregard him from office. “Holders of law positions are expected to emergence supra governmental bias, but Narwekar has failed to bash so,” Mr. Sapkal charged. Mr. Narwekar has denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated.
Legal conflict implicit unopposed victory
A writ petition filed successful the Bombay High Court by Avinash Anant Jadhav, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader, sought judicial involution to probe the circumstances down these wide withdrawals. The plea argues that the withdrawals were not voluntary but the effect of systemic coercion and inducements, violating Article 243-ZA’s mandate for escaped and just elections.
It besides calls for a High Court-monitored enquiry and legislative reforms to mandate a minimum ballot stock for candidates elected unopposed, a connection recently endorsed by the Supreme Court, which observed that specified a proviso would support voters’ close to cull candidates via NOTA and forestall misuse of powerfulness successful uncontested elections.
The petition highlights that the SEC, contempt ordering an enquiry and directing officials not to state results until the probe is complete, saw its orders flouted by returning officers successful respective wards. It adds that arsenic per quality articles in The Hindu and others, SEC officials clarified that authoritative results volition not beryllium declared until reports from municipal commissioners and territory collectors are submitted, adjacent if this means delaying announcements beyond January 16. “There is nary deadline. We volition cheque if withdrawals happened nether duress, pressure, oregon inducement,” an SEC authoritative told The Hindu, the petition quoted.
Meanwhile, absorption leaders person alleged large-scale misuse of wealth power. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed that candidates were offered ₹5 crore to retreat nominations, portion MNS person Yashwant Jadhav alleged akin inducements. The BJP has dismissed these charges arsenic baseless. State BJP president Ravindra Chavan said the unopposed victories bespeak nationalist assurance successful the government’s improvement work. “Opposition candidates withdrew due to the fact that they knew they couldn’t win,” helium said.
With civic polls scheduled for January 15 and results owed connected January 16, the contention has formed a shadiness implicit Maharashtra’s antiauthoritarian process, Mr. Sapkal said, adding, “If this inclination continues, elections volition go a sham, and ideology volition beryllium reduced to a specified slogan.”
