December 5th 2025.
The city of Nashik is buzzing with excitement as the results of the recent Nagar Panchayat and Municipal Council elections are set to be announced on 21 December. With the stakes high, all political parties are busy strategizing and calculating their chances of success.
According to the BJP's internal survey, they are projected to secure 60% of the municipal council chairperson positions and an equal proportion of members across the state. This estimation has piqued interest in the strength of BJP's performance in Nashik district. The results of these local elections are expected to have a significant impact on the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, especially since their allies in the Mahayuti coalition contested separately in many places.
The Nagar Panchayat and Municipal Council elections marked the first phase of the local self-government elections. Despite the Mahayuti's show of unity during the Assembly elections, they appeared to be divided in these local polls. In some areas, the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP contested independently, while in others it turned into a direct contest between BJP-Shiv Sena and NCP. The Chief Minister, along with both Deputy Chief Ministers and other state-level leaders, actively campaigned for their respective parties in these elections.
This election holds great significance for many senior leaders as their political standing is at stake. For instance, in Yeola, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal is facing a united challenge from both Shiv Sena and NCP. Similarly, in Sinnar, BJP, Shiv Sena, and Shiv Sena have put up independent candidates to challenge Sports Minister Manikrao Kokate. In Bhagur, Shiv Sena deputy leader Vijay Karanjkar is striving to retain his stronghold, while in Igatpuri, former BJP Municipal Council president Sanjay Indulkar is in the race. The list goes on, with prominent leaders like NCP MLA Dilip Bankar, Shiv Sena MLA Suhas Kande, BJP MLA Dr. Rahul Aher, former MLA Anil Kadam, and BJP MLA Dilip Borse all working hard to safeguard their respective strongholds.
In another development, the MSRTC has launched electric AC buses to Borivali and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, much to the delight of the citizens. However, the focus remains on the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, with the question of whether the parties will go solo or continue their alliance in the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
During the municipal election campaigns, leaders from all three Mahayuti parties openly criticized each other, leading to increased internal bitterness. As a result, considering the sentiments of their party workers, it is likely that all three parties will contest independently in most places, except for a few exceptional cases. The Maha Vikas Aghadi continues to face uncertainty, and only time will tell if their alliance will remain intact in the long run.
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