Pune: Civic elections may be held within six months
Pune: The Maha Yuti secured a landslide win in the State Assembly elections by winning 235 out of 288 seats. It won 18 out of 21 seats in the district. Therefore, the ruling combine thinks that the civic elections could be held within the next six months.
The OBCs brought a stay, through the court, on the civic elections demanding their quota and delimitation in the civic elections, which have been delayed by over two years.
Had these elections been held earlier, the Maha Yuti feared that it might not have won enough seats due the developments in the State in the past two-and-half years.
Voters have given an oppressive mandate to the Maha Yuti in Maharashtra. Therefore, the atmosphere appears to be conducive for the ruling combine to hold elections. Senior State leaders may press for early civic polls. This was confirmed by top office-bearers in the Maha Yuti. They said that the civic elections would take place within the next six months.
The fate of civic elections was to be decided on the outcome of the State polls. Since the Maha Yuti emerged stronger, it would try its best to hold the elections immediately.
The delimitation exercise for civic bodies, local self-governing bodies such as zilla parishads, panchayat samitis has been done. The election process has to be started now. The stay on these elections needs to be lifted by giving genuine reasons. It is hoped that the stay could be lifted soon as the Centre and the State have the government of the Maha Yuti.
Delimitation in Pune
The delimitation exercise has been conducted and completed in Pune. However, the State Government decided to separate Fursungi and Uruli Devachi from the Pune Municipal Corporation and form a separate civic body for them. Now, the exercise will have to be conducted again in Pune.
Will the Maha Yuti partners contest together?
There would be a large number of aspirants from the Maha Yuti during civic elections as the combine has got a resounding success in the State elections. Every ward will have many aspirants from the Maha Yuti, which could result in rebellion. Going by the BJP tally in the Assembly elections, it is doubtful whether the party would like to retain the State alliance in civic elections. It is said that the Maha Yuti constituents will contest local elections separately.
