Maharashtra civic polls: 33,606 nominations filed for 29 civic bodies

Mumbai, Dec 31 (PTI) As many as 33,606 nominations have been filed for the elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra for 2,869 seats across 893 wards, according to the State Election Commission.

The data shows an intense electoral contest in urban centres, with an average of more than 11 candidates per seat for the January 15 elections.

The last day of filing nominations on December 30 was marked by a wave of unrest and dramatic scenes across political parties in Nashik, Nagpur, and growing dissent in Mumbai, Jalgaon and other cities over the distribution of tickets.

The scramble reflects heightened political competition amid fractured alliances and multi-cornered fights. The elections are being held as per the revised ward structures notified after the Supreme Court's directions on OBC reservation.

Political equations in Maharashtra are in flux ahead of the elections, as the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition MVA have abandoned any attempt at a uniform seat-sharing formula, triggering fragmentation and multi-cornered contests.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the country's richest civic body, has recorded 2,516 nominations for its 227 seats, making it one of the most keenly watched contests in the state.

The BMC election assumes added political significance as it is being held after a long gap and amid a changed political landscape following multiple splits and realignments.

In the Pune Municipal Corporation, a total of 3,179 nominations have been filed for 165 seats in 41 wards. The highest number of nominations among all corporations indicates a fiercely contested battle between major political parties and their rivals in the state's second-largest city.

The Nagpur Municipal Corporation, another key urban centre and the political turf of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other senior BJP leaders, has received 1,452 nominations for 151 seats across 38 wards, according to the final nominations report released by the State Election Commission.

Among other major corporations, Nashik recorded 2,356 nominations for 122 seats, Pimpri Chinchwad saw 1,993 nominations for 128 seats, while Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar received 1,870 nominations for 115 seats.

Corporations such as Thane (1,128 nominations for 131 seats), Navi Mumbai (956 for 111 seats) and Vasai-Virar (935 for 115 seats) have also witnessed robust participation.

Smaller corporations like Panvel (391 nominations for 78 seats) and Ichalkaranji (456 for 65 seats) recorded relatively fewer nominations, while Jalna stood out with 1,260 nominations for just 65 seats.

With scrutiny of nominations underway and withdrawals to follow as per the election schedule, political parties are now focusing on sharpening campaign strategies. PTI ND NSK