"The unopposed way of ending democracy where they settle with the opposition candidate, either by scaring him with the threats of ED, CBI, or by bribing him," Chaturvedi told reporters.
Pune BJP President Dhiraj Ghate said the decision was taken after consultations with senior leaders to present a candidate with a professional background and administrative understanding ahead of the civic polls.
Union Minister of State (MoS) Murlidhar Mohol said on Friday that while the two parties would fight the civic polls independently, the contest would remain cordial.
The seven Shiv Sena candidates were declared winners even before a single vote was cast, as opposition parties and other candidates either withdrew or had their nominations rejected.
Ahead of the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Thackeray made a slew of promises, including building houses for residents on BMC lands and starting new medical colleges.<
Speaking to reporters, Shiv Sena's winning candidate from ward number 18, Sukhada Sanjay More, said that rival candidates had withdrawn their nominations and that the "public is standing with Eknath Shinde".
In an exclusive interaction with ANI, Arafat expressed grave concern over the escalating violence against minorities, the "rigged" nature of upcoming polls, and the alleged influence of the ISI in dismantling the democratic fabric of Bangladesh.
The polling for 29 municipal corporation elections across the state, including Mumbai, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, will be held on January 15, with vote counting scheduled for January 16. December 30 was the last day for filing nominations.
Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol on Thursday expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will once again secure the Mayor's post in Pune Municipal Corporation Election citing extensive development works carried out in the city under the leadership of Prime Minister N
Ghosh's remarks come a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a crucial meeting with BJP MPs, MLAs and former MPs in the state, signalling renewed organisational activity ahead of the elections.
Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Election Commission over SIR in Bengal and said that the BJP was defeated in the assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state and the same result will be repeated in 2026 assembly polls.
Speaking to reporters, Shaikh emphasised the need for capable leadership to improve Mumbai's infrastructure. "People should not get into the caste. They should think about who will be able to make the infrastructure of Mumbai better," he said.