Devendra Fadnavis: “Mahayuti Will Contest Local Body Elections Together, But...

Following the Supreme Court’s directive to conduct local body elections in Maharashtra within four months, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has confirmed that the Mahayuti alliance will largely contest the elections together. However, he acknowledged that there may be exceptions in certain constituencies due to local-level dynamics.

The Supreme Court recently instructed the Maharashtra State Election Commission to issue the election notification within four weeks. The court also clarified that the elections must be conducted with the Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation structure that was in place before 2022. The bench emphasized that there is no justification for further delays in the electoral process.

Reacting to this development, Fadnavis said,

“We intend to contest these elections as a united grand alliance. The three parties in the Mahayuti are working together. However, in some constituencies, especially where local worker-level equations are sensitive, it may not be feasible to field a joint candidate.”

He further added,

“In such exceptional cases, we may contest separately, but the understanding between us remains strong. Even if we fight independently in some places, our campaign will be positive and we will not criticize each other. We will focus on winning the maximum number of seats as a coalition.”

Fadnavis reiterated the commitment of the Mahayuti — comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP — to present a united front in most areas, aiming for maximum coordination and minimal internal competition.