Daijiworld Media Network - Thane
Thane, Jan 1: In a strong start to the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections, three Shiv Sena candidates from Ward No. 24 have been declared elected unopposed, giving the party an early boost ahead of the civic polls. The development also reinforces the position of the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the twin cities.
The victorious Shiv Sena candidates are Ramesh Mhatre, Vishwanath Rane, and Vrushali Joshi. Their election was confirmed after rival nominees withdrew during the scrutiny process. Adding to the alliance’s clean sweep, BJP’s Jyoti Patil was also elected unopposed from the same ward, highlighting the coalition’s dominance in the area.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and MP Dr Shrikant Shinde congratulated the corporators via a video call, crediting the result to the Shiv Sena’s organisational strength and the sustained public support for its leadership. Party workers hailed the unopposed wins as a validation of the “Shinde style” of functioning and expressed optimism that similar outcomes could follow in other wards.
The unopposed victories come on the heels of early gains by the BJP in civic polls across Maharashtra, where several candidates were declared elected even before polling began. In the KDMC, Rekha Chaudhary won Ward No. 18-A unopposed, Asawari Navre secured Ward No. 26-C, and Ranjana Perkar claimed Ward No. 26-B without contest. BJP state president Ravindra Chavan congratulated the winners, noting that women leaders opened the party’s account in these elections, and facilitated a video call with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Elsewhere, the BJP also scored unopposed wins in other municipal corporations. In Panvel, Nitin Patil secured Ward No. 18-B after his only rival’s nomination was rejected. In Dhule, the party won two seats unopposed. Another notable development saw Ujjwala Bhosale, wife of NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) City District President Ranjit Bhosale, join the BJP and get elected unopposed within 24 hours. Similarly, Jyotsna Praful Patil won Ward No. 6-B without opposition.
With multiple early victories and several unopposed seats already secured, both Shiv Sena and the BJP have set a strong tone for the ongoing municipal elections across Maharashtra.