Mumbai, Jan 2 (NationPress) Even before the voting commenced, the ruling Mahayuti alliance has clinched 68 of the 69 seats that were uncontested in the municipal corporation elections throughout Maharashtra.

On the final day to withdraw nominations, the BJP emerged as the primary beneficiary, with its candidates winning unopposed in 44 seats, thereby granting the party a significant early lead.

Simultaneously, leaders from the ruling parties exerted considerable effort across the state to persuade dissenters to withdraw their nominations. From Nashik to Solapur and from Mumbai to Nagpur, dramatic scenes unfolded, with tensions escalating to the extent of a political worker’s death in Solapur.

In Solapur, clashes reportedly erupted between two factions within the BJP, leading to the death of a party worker, which necessitated police intervention to restore calm.

In Nashik, where the BJP faced strong opposition from party members regarding the allocation of tickets to outsiders, leaders engaged in intense discussions during the withdrawal process.

In Mumbai, despite the persistent efforts of BJP leadership, five party rebels chose to remain in contention from wards 60, 173, 205, 177, and 180.

Similarly, the Thackeray brothers were unable to convince dissenters to withdraw in approximately nine wards. In nearby Bhiwandi, the coalition between the Thackeray factions fell apart, resulting in both sides submitting nominations against each other. In Panvel, the withdrawal of seven Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates led to BJP candidates being elected unopposed.

In Nagpur, BJP rebel candidate Kisan Gavande was reportedly restricted to his home by supporters after BJP MLC Parinay Phuke was sent to persuade him to withdraw. Gavande later requested his supporters to allow him to adhere to the party’s directive.

Within the Congress, MLAs Vikas Thakre and Nitin Raut spent the day convincing party dissenters to withdraw, promising them more significant roles within the organization.

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, protests erupted from BJP workers against party leaders and ministers for allegedly favoring outsiders over long-standing members, resulting in several dissenters withdrawing their nominations. However, Prashant Bhadane-Patil, who had previously attempted self-immolation, refused to withdraw from ward number 2.

According to the data available after scrutiny, a total of 69 candidates across parties have been elected unopposed in the 29 municipal corporation elections. Of these, the BJP accounts for 44 seats, Shiv Sena 22, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP two, and the Islamic Party one.

Municipal-wise statistics reveal that the BJP secured the highest number of unopposed candidates in Kalyan with 15 seats, followed by Bhiwandi (6), Panvel (6), Jalgaon (6), Dhule (4), Ahilyanagar (3), Pune (2), and Pimpri-Chinchwad (2).

The Shiv Sena recorded seven unopposed candidates in Thane, the home ground of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, while it secured seven in Kalyan, six in Jalgaon, and two in Bhiwandi.

The Ajit Pawar-led NCP achieved two unopposed victories in Jalgaon, while the Islamic Party managed one uncontested seat in Malegaon.

Elections for the municipal corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), are slated for January 15.