Ahead Of BMC Elections: Eknath Shinde Gives A Sharp Warning to Police Amid Rising Mahayuti Tensions

Campaigning for Maharashtra's urban local body elections has reached an intense peak, with Mahayuti leaders-Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar-crisscrossing the state to boost their alliance's prospects. Even as the leaders present a united front, tensions between the BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena are becoming increasingly apparent on the campaign trail.

Shinde lashes out at police over alleged fake cases

At a rally in Phaltan, Satara, Eknath Shinde delivered a sharp warning to the police, accusing officials of targeting his supporters with false cases. While the Home portfolio is under Devendra Fadnavis, Shinde made it clear that he would not tolerate harassment of his cadres.

Known publicly for his calm temperament, Shinde invoked his dramatic 2022 rebellion to underline his capacity for tough action. Addressing the women of Phaltan, he claimed to have received complaints from "Ladli Behens" about wrongful cases and pressure tactics. "Don't bend to illegal influence. Any injustice to my workers is an injustice to me. I keep track of every detail," he said, cautioning officials to act within the law.

Shinde highlights welfare initiatives, claims impartial governance

While campaigning in Karad and Satara, Shinde underscored his welfare-driven governance model, saying he had sanctioned more than ₹400 crore from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help nearly 70,000 patients. He recounted a moment from Kolhapur's "Shasan Aplya Davar" event, where a Muslim mother expressed gratitude after receiving ₹3 lakh assistance that saved her child's life-naming the baby "Dua" as a symbol of thanks.

Shinde said he signs files without bias, emphasizing that public money should directly serve citizens. He also suggested he is prepared to confront anything that obstructs his work, though he insisted he does not interfere unless provoked.

288 urban local bodies to vote on December 2

The Maharashtra State Election Commission will conduct elections in 288 urban local bodies on December 2, with counting scheduled for December 3. The polls include 246 Municipal Councils and 42 Nagar Panchayats, spread across all six administrative divisions:

• Konkan: 27
• Nashik: 49
• Pune: 60
• Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: 52
• Amravati: 45
• Nagpur: 55

These elections cover both long-established councils and newly formed Nagar Panchayats. Elections for 29 Municipal Corporations will be held separately at a later date.

Voter numbers and reservation structure

A total of 1.07 crore voters-53.79 lakh men, 53.23 lakh women, and 775 individuals from other categories-will cast their votes across 13,355 polling stations, using EVMs based on the updated rolls of October 31.

The elections include 3,820 wards and 6,859 seats, of which:

• 6,145 are in Municipal Councils
• 714 are in Nagar Panchayats
• Reserved seats include:
• 3,492 for women
• 895 for Scheduled Castes
• 338 for Scheduled Tribes
• 1,821 for OBCs

To promote transparency, the commission has introduced a new mobile app allowing citizens to check voter information, verify candidate affidavits, and identify duplicate entries.