Maharashtra Municipal Elections: BJP Leads in Nagpur Amid Controversy

Counting Continues in Maharashtra Municipal Elections

As the counting of votes for the Maharashtra municipal elections progresses on Friday, all eyes are on the 151 wards of Nagpur, a stronghold of the RSS. The ruling coalition, led by the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena and including the NCP, is witnessing the BJP comfortably ahead in the city. Meanwhile, the Congress party is lagging significantly behind, with the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition failing to surpass double digits in any other constituency so far.

Current Standings in Nagpur

After nearly two hours of counting in Nagpur, the BJP is currently leading in 78 out of the total 151 seats, while Congress holds a lead in 26. According to the 2011 census, Nagpur's population across 38 wards was 2,447,494, which includes 480,759 residents from Scheduled Castes and 188,444 from Scheduled Tribes, influencing the priorities in the elections. The 76 seats reserved for women ensure gender representation among the diverse electorate.

Voter Turnout and Controversies

The municipal elections held on Thursday saw a voter turnout of 51% in Nagpur. Prominent figures, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, cast their votes. However, a controversy has arisen regarding the use of 'indelible' ink on voters' fingers, with leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray from Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS claiming that the ink can be easily removed.

Election Commission Responds to Claims

In response to these allegations, the State Election Commission (SEC) has dismissed the claims, asserting that the ink used is of high quality and difficult to erase. Maharashtra State Election Commissioner D.T. Waghmare firmly rejected the accusations regarding irregularities in the use of indelible ink during the municipal elections, stating that there were no discrepancies in the voting process. He characterized the concerns raised by opposition leaders about the ink's removability as an attempt to create confusion.