Mumbai/Nagpur, Dec 22 (IANS) A fierce war of words has erupted between the ruling MahaYuti and the opposition following the landslide victory of the BJP-led alliance in the Maharashtra Nagar Parishad and Nagar Panchayat elections.
While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hailed the results as an “unprecedented mandate,” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut countered the claim, alleging that the victory was bought with a staggering expenditure of Rs 15,000 crore.
Fadnavis said the MahaYuti has secured 75 per cent of the Municipal President posts.
“These results prove that the BJP remains the number one party in Maharashtra. We have completely wiped out the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA),” he added.
He thanked the voters of Nagpur and the state for keeping the party’s pride intact. He further said that the MahaYuti’s dominance in the semi-urban and rural pockets has provided a massive boost ahead of the high-stakes BMC and Zilla Parishad elections scheduled for early 2026.
However, Raut launched a scathing attack on the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar.
“The BJP may call it a hat-trick or whatever they like, but the truth is that in these Nagar Panchayat elections, the trio has blown Rs 15,000 crore. Money flowed like water to bribe voters,” he alleged.
He further added that the “unprecedented victory” claimed by Fadnavis is actually a “miracle of unprecedented money distribution.”
Turning to Eknath Shinde, Raut remarked, “If Shinde claims his is the ‘real’ Shiv Sena, he should go and wash Amit Shah’s feet and drink that water as a blessing. The Sena he has was gifted to him by Amit Shah.”
Raut also expressed deep resentment toward the Supreme Court regarding the pending disqualification case of the 40 MLAs and the party symbol dispute.
“The Supreme Court gives a decision within six hours in cases like Manikrao Kokate’s, but it remains silent on 40 MLAs who switched sides. There is immense pressure on the court,” Raut claimed.
He noted that with the next hearing scheduled for January 21—after the municipal elections—the court is effectively allowing the “theft” of the election to stand.
Raut hinted that an alliance between the Thackeray brothers (Uddhav and Raj Thackeray) could be announced soon.
He indicated that signals regarding seat-sharing would likely be clear by this evening, setting the stage for a major shift in the MVA’s strategy.
Earlier, the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Monday alleged that the BJP-led MahaYuti won the elections to the Nagar Parishad and Nagar Panchayat in Maharashtra due to money and muscle power, saying that if these victories are to be bought with money, then the pride and honour of Maharashtra have been dragged through the dust.
“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Maharashtra appears to be crawling, helpless before the money. This picture is dangerous for the country,” he said.
Similarly, the Thackeray camp in the party mouthpiece Saamana editorial sharply criticised the State Election Commission (SEC) for its perceived inaction, describing the body as being in a state of “slumber” while instances of kidnapping, terror, and open money distribution took place across the state.
–IANS
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