MUMBAI: If the BJP ran like a Ferrari across Maharashtra’s urban landscape, it was made possible by a Lewis Hamilton–like performance from its undisputed leader, Devendra Fadnavis, who steered the party towards a near sweep in the civic elections.Riding high on a strong Fadnavis wave, the BJP delivered a stellar performance, reinforcing the view that there is no real challenger to the party in Maharashtra’s urban centres.Brushing aside allegations of vote theft and controversies over indelible ink, the BJP surged far ahead of its bitter rivals — the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, and NCP (SP) — especially in Pune, the traditional stronghold of the powerful Pawar family. Despite Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar joining hands to protect their base, the BJP outpaced the combined NCP and NCP (SP) alliance in both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations.The BJP also took the lead in civic bodies across western Maharashtra, including Kolhapur, Satara, Solapur, and Sangli. Its showing in Pune and PCMC indicates that the Fadnavis-led BJP has effectively blunted the challenge posed by the “united” NCP factions.The party had earlier ruled Pune and PCMC single-handedly from 2017 to 2022, after which administrators took charge due to delays caused by the Supreme Court’s stay over the OBC reservation issue.In these elections, the BJP contested independently against its Mahayuti partners — the NCP and Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde — while the Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) were also in the fray.As per the latest trends, the BJP is leading in 43 of 165 wards in Pune, followed by the Congress in 7, the NCP in 5, and NCP (SP) in 3. In the 128-member Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body, the BJP is ahead in 70 wards, while the NCP is leading in 40.The campaign in Pune and PCMC was marked by sharp exchanges between Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and the BJP, with Pawar targeting the local BJP leadership over alleged irregularities in civic administration.In the 102-member Solapur Municipal Corporation, the BJP is leading in 60 wards. In Kolhapur’s 81-member civic body, Mahayuti partners — BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP — are ahead in 25 seats, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi leads in 21.The BJP is also ahead in several civic bodies across the Vidarbha region. In Nagpur, home to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the BJP is leading in 74 of 151 wards, with the Congress at 22 and Shiv Sena (UBT) at 2.In Akola, the BJP is leading in 35 of 80 seats, followed by Congress with 15. Shiv Sena (Shinde) is ahead in 8 wards, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP is leading in 7. NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) are ahead in four and three wards, respectively.In Amravati, which has 87 wards, the BJP is leading in 13, followed by the NCP with seven and the Congress with five. The Yuva Swabhiman Party, led by MLA Ravi Rana, is ahead in two seats. Notably, the BJP had ended its alliance with Rana’s party just days before polling.In Chandrapur, early trends show Shiv Sena (UBT) leading in seven seats, the BJP in six, the Congress in two, and the NCP in one, in the 66-member civic body.(With agency inputs)
