Overview
- BJP leaders say the Mahayuti accounts for most of the 68, including 44 from the BJP, 22 from the Shiv Sena, and two from the NCP, across 29 municipal corporations.
- Opposition parties allege coercion and cash offers of up to Rs 5 crore to force withdrawals, file complaints, and demand re-elections in the affected wards.
- Thane district accounts for 32 of the reported unopposed outcomes, with 20 BJP and 12 Shinde-led Shiv Sena candidates, as local bodies forward cases to the SEC for decisions.
- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis calls the outcomes a people’s mandate, says courts will uphold them, and campaigns on a Marathi-Hindu mayor, deportation of Bangladeshi infiltrators, housing initiatives, and a ₹17,000-crore green plan.
- Uddhav and Raj Thackeray release a joint BMC manifesto with welfare and civic proposals and accuse the ruling alliance of stealing candidates, with legal challenges signaled as polling proceeds on January 15 and counting on January 16.