Mumbai, Dec 21 (IANS) The BJP-led Mahayuti has taken a commanding lead in the Maharashtra local body elections, crossing the 200-mark, according to trends available as of 2.30 p.m.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has emerged with a strong advantage in the elections held for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats across the state.

As per the latest trends, the BJP is leading in 3,120 seats out of the 6,859 seats that went to the polls.

Its allies, Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), are leading in around 600 and 200 seats, respectively.

Among the opposition parties, the Shiv Sena(UBT) is leading in 145 seats, the Congress in 105 seats, and the NCP(SP) in 122 seats.

In terms of overall control of local bodies, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is ahead in 214 local bodies, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is leading in 52.

Held after a gap of nearly a decade, the local body elections are being closely watched as an important barometer to assess which political forces hold sway in Maharashtra’s semi-urban and rural regions.

The trends come a year after the Mahayuti registered a thumping victory in the 2024 Assembly elections.

Given the backdrop of an agrarian crisis in several parts of the state, partial disbursal of benefits under the government’s flagship welfare scheme for women, and farmers’ complaints over inadequate financial assistance, the opposition was expected to mount a stiff challenge.

However, the campaign period reflected a visible lack of intent and coordination among the opposition parties.

Congress leaders campaigned aggressively in Vidarbha and Marathwada, but leaders of the Shiv Sena(UBT) were largely absent on the ground, while NCP(SP) leaders remained confined to their respective constituencies.

In contrast, the ruling Mahayuti mounted an all-out campaign, with the Chief Minister and both Deputy Chief Ministers leading efforts for their respective parties and reaching even the remotest areas of the state.

The run-up to the polls was also marked by internal frictions within the Mahayuti, with alliance partners contesting against each other in several regions.

A majority of Shiv Sena ministers skipped a cabinet meeting and publicly accused the BJP of adopting “bullying” tactics. In one of his speeches, Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde indirectly reminded the BJP of the importance of “alliance dharma”.

The outcome of the local body elections is also being seen as politically significant ahead of the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections scheduled to be held next month.

–IANS

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