Even before voting begins, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has gained a strong early lead in the Maharashtra civic body elections, with 68 candidates being elected unopposed across the state. The polling for these municipal elections is scheduled to take place on January 15, but several seats have already been decided following the withdrawal of nominations by rival candidates.

These unopposed victories came after the deadline for nomination withdrawals ended on Friday. Candidates from opposition parties pulled out of the race in multiple civic bodies, allowing Mahayuti candidates to win without any contest. As a result, no votes will be cast for these seats on polling day.

Out of the total 68 unopposed seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as the biggest beneficiary, winning 44 seats. The alliance partners shared the remaining seats. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena secured 22 unopposed wins, while Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won two seats without contest.

A large number of the BJP’s unopposed victories came from the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district. Apart from this, BJP candidates were also elected unopposed from civic bodies in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Panvel, Bhiwandi, Dhule, Jalgaon and Ahilyanagar.

In Pune, BJP candidates Manjusha Nagpure and Shrikant Jagtap were declared elected unopposed from ward number 35 after their rivals withdrew from the race. Both leaders had earlier represented the same ward during the 2017–2022 term, making their return uncontested this time.

Reacting to the developments, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Murlidhar Mohol said the unopposed wins reflected the party’s work and governance. He also expressed confidence about the BJP’s prospects in Pune. Speaking to reporters, Mohol said, “We have a target of 125 seats. Two have already been won unopposed, leaving 123 to go.” He further asserted that the next mayor of Pune would be from the BJP, according to a PTI report.

BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye also commented on the situation, saying that the unopposed wins showed how the party’s influence was expanding across urban local bodies in Maharashtra. He said the results highlighted the BJP’s growing strength in civic politics across the state.

Senior leaders from the BJP credited the trend to the popularity of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the party’s organisational strategy. According to them, the election planning and coordination led by state BJP president Ravindra Chavan played a key role in strengthening the party’s position in both municipal councils and major municipal corporations.

However, the developments triggered sharp criticism from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), which accused the ruling alliance of weakening democratic processes. The party alleged that opposition candidates were forced to withdraw either through pressure or inducements.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi strongly criticised the unopposed wins, claiming that democracy was being compromised. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, she said, “The unopposed way of ending democracy where they settle with the opposition candidates, either by scaring him with the threats of ED, CBI or by bribing him. They are trying to buy out their victories, and it is a shame that the Election Commission is staying quiet on this.”

Despite the controversy, the election process for the remaining seats will continue as scheduled. Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the politically significant Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), will be held on January 15, with vote counting scheduled for the following day.

The early unopposed victories have added momentum to the Mahayuti alliance ahead of polling, while opposition parties continue to question the fairness of the process.