Mahayuti Vs MVA In Nashik Civic Polls, While Malegaon Tests AIMIM Dominance

Nashik: Elections for 29 municipal corporations in the state were announced on Monday, including Nashik and Malegaon. Following the formal announcement, political activity has intensified in both cities. In Nashik, a straight contest between the Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is expected, while in Malegaon, the possibility remains that the MVA and the Mahayuti may contest separately against the AIMIM.

Nashik is considered one of the politically significant municipal corporations in the state. In the 2017 elections, the BJP won 66 seats and formed the government on its own, while the then undivided Shiv Sena secured 35 seats.

The Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and others failed to make a significant impact at that time. For the BJP, retaining power will be a key challenge.

As the party intends to contest the election as part of the Mahayuti, the number of seats it is willing to concede to alliance partners—particularly the Shiv Sena, which has considerable influence in the city, and the NCP—will be crucial to the Mahayuti’s prospects.

Additionally, given the large-scale influx of leaders into the BJP in recent times, the party leadership is expected to face the difficult task of managing internal aspirations.

BJP Takes the Lead Through Interviews
Meanwhile, the BJP has begun interviewing aspirants from all 31 wards in the city. Candidates are being evaluated in the presence of senior city leaders and MLAs on parameters such as work done for the party, loyalty, public outreach, and proposed development works.

As a result, several aspirants are finding the process challenging. Party workers are keenly watching how the leadership balances experienced leaders with newcomers.

Shiv Sena Demands 50% Seat Share
Immediately after the election announcement, the Shiv Sena convened a meeting and demanded a 50 percent share of seats, issuing a clear warning that an alliance would be possible only if this demand is met.

The party also has a significant number of aspirants. Moreover, leaders denied tickets by the BJP may consider the Shiv Sena as a second option. Given the relatively weak presence of the NCP in the city, the Shiv Sena’s bargaining power within the Mahayuti could increase further.

Lack of Buzz in the Maha Vikas Aghadi
In Nashik, within the MVA, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) may be able to demonstrate some presence. However, questions remain over the organizational strength of the Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). In this alliance, the Shiv Sena (UBT) is more likely to play the role of the senior partner.

AIMIM’s Prestige at Stake in Malegaon
In Malegaon, nearly 80 per cent of the municipal area is Muslim-majority. The AIMIM has an MLA from the Malegaon Central constituency, and naturally, the party has a large number of aspirants. The Samajwadi Party, Congress and NCP (SP) from the MVA, as well as local fronts, are also likely to enter the fray.

In Hindu-majority areas, the Shiv Sena holds sway, and since the constituency of Minister Dadaji Bhuse falls within this region, it will be important to see how many seats he can secure for the Mahayuti with the support of the BJP.