Maharashtra Civic Polls 2026: 68 Mahayuti Candidates Set to Win Unopposed; SEC Orders Probe

The political temperature in Maharashtra has hit a boiling point. As of Saturday, January 3, 2026, the ruling Mahayuti alliance is essentially “playing on easy mode” in dozens of wards, and the State Election Commission (SEC) isn’t exactly letting it slide without a second look.

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The thing is, winning 68 seats before a single vote is even cast isn’t just a “good ground game”—it’s a statistical anomaly that has the Opposition screaming foul. Or nothing. Let’s be real, when 22 candidates in a single corporation like Kalyan-Dombivli have zero competition, it looks suspicious to everyone except the winners. Those too.

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The “Unopposed” Log: Field Notes

It’s an ongoing situation where the final day of withdrawals (January 2) turned into a mass exit of rival candidates.

• The Scorecard: Out of the 68 uncontested seats, the BJP has 44, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena has 22, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP has 2.

• The Hotspots: * Kalyan-Dombivli (KDMC): 22 uncontested seats. This is the home turf of State BJP President Ravindra Chavan.

  • Jalgaon: 12 candidates heading for an early victory in Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan’s district.

  • Pune/Pimpri Chinchwad: Several BJP veterans like Manjusha Nagpure are already “winners” on paper.

• The “Kicker”: The SEC has frozen these results. Returning officers have been told: Do not declare winners yet. They’re investigating whether these withdrawals were voluntary or the result of “inducements” (a polite word for bribes) or threats.

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The “Mobocracy” Allegations

And here’s the kicker: the Opposition isn’t just complaining; they’re calling it the death of democracy.

• The “5 Crore” Claim: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut is alleging that rival candidates were offered up to ₹5 crore to drop out. He’s also hinting at “Central Agency” threats—the usual ED/CBI boogeyman.

• The “Missing” Candidates: In Jalgaon, reports are swirling about three Thackeray-group candidates going “missing” with their phones switched off right before the withdrawal deadline.

• The SEC Probe: State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare is checking CCTV footage and phone records. They want to know if candidates were “unlawfully prevented” from reaching the election office.

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Strategic Multi-Cornered Chaos

It’s an ongoing situation where the alliance math is a nightmare. In some wards, Shinde’s Sena is fighting the BJP; in others, they’re partners. This “divided house” strategy seems to have accidentally—or intentionally—cleared the path for these uncontested wins.

Basically, the January 15 polls were supposed to be the “Great Test,” but for 68 wards, the test is already over. The only question left is whether the SEC finds enough “duress” to force a re-run.

Also Read |Tamil Nadu Voter List Purge: 97 Lakh Names Deleted in SIR Phase 1

End…

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