Mumbai, January 2, 2026:
The ruling Mahayuti alliance has scripted a remarkable political feat in the Maharashtra municipal corporation elections by securing 68 out of 69 uncontested seats even before the commencement of polling. The development came after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended on Friday, marking an unprecedented moment in the state’s civic electoral history.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the principal beneficiary of the unopposed victories, with 44 of its candidates declared elected without contest across multiple municipal corporations. Alliance partners also registered significant gains, with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena winning 22 seats and the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) securing two seats unchallenged. One seat was also won unopposed by the Islamic Party in Malegaon.
Among the regions, Kalyan-Dombivli recorded the highest number of uncontested wins, with 22 candidates elected unopposed. Jalgaon followed with 12 such victories, evenly split between the BJP and Shiv Sena, while Thane, the political stronghold of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, saw seven Shiv Sena candidates winning without facing opposition.
The sweeping outcome was largely facilitated by the withdrawal of 453 candidates, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the total contestants, on the final day of nominations. In Panvel, for instance, seven candidates belonging to the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) withdrew, clearing the way for direct BJP victories.
The development has sparked sharp political reactions. Leaders of the opposition MVA, including Aaditya Thackeray, alleged that the ruling alliance employed “money power” and “strong-arming” tactics to pressure rival candidates into withdrawing. The Mahayuti alliance, however, rejected the accusations, with BJP spokespersons asserting that opposition candidates stepped aside after recognizing the government’s popularity and the alliance’s development record.
Meanwhile, the State Election Commission (SEC) has reportedly directed election officials to temporarily withhold formal declarations of winners in the affected wards. The move comes amid a routine review prompted by the unusually high number of uncontested seats.
As Maharashtra heads toward the remaining phases of civic polling, the Mahayuti’s early dominance has already reshaped the political narrative surrounding the local body elections.
