Maharashtra

Nagpur: Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), exercised his democratic right to vote in the Nagpur municipal elections on Thursday morning. Speaking after casting his vote, Bhagwat highlighted the importance of voting and urged citizens to choose capable candidates. He also raised concerns about the use of NOTA (None of the Above) in elections. Voting in Maharashtra’s 29 municipal corporations began at 7:30 AM, with Bhagwat being among the first to cast his ballot in Nagpur. Speaking to the media, he described voting as the day’s “first responsibility” and stressed the pivotal role of elections in a democratic system. He urged voters to make balanced and welfare-oriented choices while selecting candidates. Questions on NOTAWhen asked about NOTA, Bhagwat a...

Mumbai, Maharashtra:After a four-year wait, Mumbai residents headed to the polls on Thursday to elect representatives for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Voting is underway for all 227 BMC seats, with 1.03 crore voters expected to cast their ballots. Across Maharashtra, 29 municipal corporations, including Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Vasai-Virar, Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi, and Mira-Bhayandar, are also holding elections today. Crowds at Polling Centers, Voting Slips Missing Large crowds gathered at polling stations from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, but some voters faced difficulty due to missing voting slips, which delayed the process by around five minutes per voter. Director and filmmaker Avinash Gowariker expressed concern over the issue, noting that while the cent...

Mumbai, Maharashtra: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed confidence in his alliance’s prospects in the upcoming local body elections, claiming that the Mahayuti is prepared to win key municipal corporations across the state. Speaking ahead of the polls, he stated that if the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar, decide to come together in the future, strategic decisions will be made at that time. Fadnavis emphasized that the ongoing alliances in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad involve only local-level coordination and that no formal merger has taken place between the NCP factions. “The leaders are trying to show unity locally to consolidate their supporters, but ultimately the BJP will secure a majority in Pune and Pim...

Mumbai: A shocking case of political violence has emerged from Ward 124, Vikhroli Park Site, Mumbai. A man was attacked with a sharp weapon allegedly for campaigning for a rival party. Police have registered an FIR against 11 people, including former councilor Haroon Khan and his son. Allegations of Violence Over Rival Party Campaign The complainant, Salikh Siddique Kundar, alleged that around 12:20 AM on Monday, Haroon Khan, his son Roshan Khan, and 10 others approached him. Accusing him of promoting a rival party, they reportedly struck him on the back with a sharp weapon. The FIR names Haroon Khan, Roshan Khan, Azad alias “Daddy,” Fareed Lala, Javed Lala, Vicky Pathan, Jainul, and five others as accused. Independent Candidate’s Rally Stopped by Police Meanwhile, independent ...

Mumbai: In view of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the sale of alcohol in Mumbai will remain prohibited from January 14 to 16. The Bombay High Court has refused to grant interim relief to an association of liquor vendors that had challenged the government’s ban. Ban to Remain Until Counting on January 16The Maharashtra government imposed the liquor ban in the city from January 14 to 16, covering the voting day on January 15 and the counting of votes on January 16. The Association of Progressive Retail Liquor Vendors had filed a petition challenging the application of Section 135-C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to municipal elections. During the hearing, the court observed that challenging the law requires detailed examination. Additio...

Mumbai, Jan 14:Even before voting begins for Maharashtra’s local body elections, new political equations have started to emerge, sparking intense speculation across the state. Political observers believe that the results of these civic polls could trigger rapid realignments—not only in Maharashtra’s power structure but also in national politics. At the center of this churn is a key question: could veteran leader Sharad Pawar move closer to the NDA after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections? The civic polls are scheduled for January 15 across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra. These elections are being seen as a litmus test for all major alliances, with shifting loyalties and fractured fronts already visible on both sides of the political divide. Fragile Oppos...

As political temperatures rise ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde launched a scathing attack on Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, dismissing their recent political coming together as an act of desperation rather than reconciliation. Addressing a joint Mahayuti rally in Mumbai, Shinde asserted that no force on earth can separate Mumbai from Maharashtra, strongly refuting claims made by opposition leaders suggesting otherwise. He termed such statements as a “fear-mongering tactic”, accusing the opposition of misleading voters due to the absence of any concrete development agenda. “This is not a union of hearts. It is the lament of those who fear losing their last stronghold,” Shinde said...