Pune: CM Devendra Fadnavis, expecting a verdict from the Supreme Court later this month on incorporating OBC quota in municipal bodies, on Sunday said elections to all civic bodies in Maharashtra were likely to be held in May and exhorted BJP workers to start preparations.
“While Fadnavis said BJP is likely to go solo in the civic polls, he categorically told all the ministers and office bearers to avoid making adverse comments against the Mahayuti partners,” said a BJP MLA, who was present at the party’s state convention on Sunday where the CM spoke.
After the assembly poll results that saw BJP bag the highest-ever seats, a blame game began among the opposition alliance, MVA, over its debacle. On Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut announced that his party would fight the local body polls separately, shocking Congress and NCP (SP).
In this backdrop, the MLA said, the BJP brass told functionaries that Mahayuti was formed with a larger interest, and though the party is likely to contest independently, they will have to maintain good relations with NCP and Shiv Sena workers.
Union home minister Amit Shah recently told party workers that after parliament and state assembly, the party is now looking to rule all the civic bodies in Maharashtra.
It has been nearly three years since elections are due in 29 municipal corporations, 257 municipal councils, 26 zilla parishads and 289 panchayats. Due to the ongoing case in the apex court over the reservation for OBCs in civic bodies, the Election Commission of India has not been able to conduct the polls.
“Anticipating the verdict from the apex court by the end of Jan, Fadnavis told party workers that the elections are likely to be held in May. We will get roughly 100 days to prepare for it. The CM told the local units that they would be playing an important role,” another BJP politician, who attended the party’s convention, said.
In the absence of elected representatives, these local bodies are run by administrators.
“While Fadnavis said BJP is likely to go solo in the civic polls, he categorically told all the ministers and office bearers to avoid making adverse comments against the Mahayuti partners,” said a BJP MLA, who was present at the party’s state convention on Sunday where the CM spoke.
After the assembly poll results that saw BJP bag the highest-ever seats, a blame game began among the opposition alliance, MVA, over its debacle. On Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut announced that his party would fight the local body polls separately, shocking Congress and NCP (SP).
In this backdrop, the MLA said, the BJP brass told functionaries that Mahayuti was formed with a larger interest, and though the party is likely to contest independently, they will have to maintain good relations with NCP and Shiv Sena workers.
Union home minister Amit Shah recently told party workers that after parliament and state assembly, the party is now looking to rule all the civic bodies in Maharashtra.
It has been nearly three years since elections are due in 29 municipal corporations, 257 municipal councils, 26 zilla parishads and 289 panchayats. Due to the ongoing case in the apex court over the reservation for OBCs in civic bodies, the Election Commission of India has not been able to conduct the polls.
“Anticipating the verdict from the apex court by the end of Jan, Fadnavis told party workers that the elections are likely to be held in May. We will get roughly 100 days to prepare for it. The CM told the local units that they would be playing an important role,” another BJP politician, who attended the party’s convention, said.
In the absence of elected representatives, these local bodies are run by administrators.
