Campaign merchandise of various parties at a shop in Nagpur. File.
| Photo Credit: ANI
High drama was reported across Maharashtra on Friday (January 2, 2026), the last day for the withdrawal of candidature for the January 15 civic polls, with parties trading accusations of bribing and threatening each other’s candidates while trying to persuade their own rebel candidates to withdraw.
While addressing a Marathi literary event on Friday (January 2), Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis urged rebel candidates to withdraw their forms. “I never answer calls from dais, but today I have to as rebel candidates will not withdraw without speaking to me.”
Dissent among the BJP rank and file was reported from various parts of the State. In Solapur, two groups of BJP members vandalised the liaison office of former corporator Shankar Shinde. In Nagpur, Kisan Gawande and Vijay Hole received nomination forms from the BJP, only for the party to ask Mr. Gawande to step back, which caused his supporters to allegedly lock him inside his house.
“I understand supporters’ feelings, but party orders need to be followed,” said Mr. Gawande after withdrawing his candidature. Fifteen BJP candidates won unopposed in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) city president Manoj Gharat withdrew his candidature and BJP candidate Mahesh Patil was declared the winner. Shiv Sena’s Ram Repale won after the Congress candidate and the Independents withdrew from the polls. Nineteen Shiv Sena candidates won unopposed across three civic bodies.
Congratulating the winners, Shiv Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, “There is no doubt that the saffron alliance will hoist the flag on the Thane Municipal Corporation on the 16th (the day of counting). An unopposed election is a testament to the work done. Where the Opposition is sure of defeat, they retreat, and unopposed elections are held.”
‘Candidate theft’
Congress leader Atul Londhe criticised the Election Commission and the ruling Mahayuti for “candidate theft”. “The ruling party, including Eknath Shinde, are threatening candidates from the Opposition parties and Independents to withdraw their candidature,” Mr. Londhe alleged. MNS candidate in Panvel Yogesh Chile accused his Congress rival of offering ₹60 lakh to withdraw. Several Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates who did not receive nomination forms, including Chandrashekhar Wingankar, filed nomination as Independents. The total number withdrawn nomination forms were 453, while 1,700 candidates will be contesting for municipal corporation elections in Mumbai, as per the BMC data.
Polling for 2,869 corporators in 29 municipal corporations will take place on January 15.
Published – January 03, 2026 03:06 am IST
