Maharashtra

Mumbai: Campaigning for the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation elections will come to a complete halt today, Tuesday, at 5:30 PM, marking the beginning of the mandatory 48-hour silence period ahead of polling. During this period, all forms of electioneering will be strictly prohibited, and the State Election Commission will keep a close watch to ensure compliance. The Election Commission has appealed to all candidates and political parties to strictly adhere to the Model Code of Conduct. As today is the final day of campaigning, political parties are expected to carry out large-scale roadshows and rallies to demonstrate their strength before the deadline. The State Election Commission had announced elections for 29 municipal corporations on December 15, 2025. Since then, the state has...

With municipal elections approaching in Maharashtra, political temperatures have soared after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray launched a sharp verbal attack on Tamil Nadu BJP leader K. Annamalai during a joint rally with Shiv Sena (UBT) in Mumbai. The controversy erupted after Raj Thackeray mockingly referred to Annamalai as “Rasmalai” and used phrases such as “lungi-pungi” while questioning his right to comment on Mumbai and Maharashtra. The remarks have triggered strong reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), intensifying political polarisation ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Political Heat Before Civic Elections The Maharashtra State Election Commission has announced elections for 29 municipal corporations, includin...

Malvani: In Ward 34 of Malvani, the upcoming BMC elections are witnessing a high-stakes contest as Congress candidate Haider Aslam Sheikh, son of local MLA and senior leader Aslam Sheikh, faces off directly against BJP’s John Dennis. Haider, making his electoral debut, claims he is well-prepared to outmaneuver his rivals, drawing on his experience assisting his father with campaign strategy, election rallies, and voter outreach. On the other hand, BJP’s John Dennis is counting on support from North Indian voters, local business communities, and the Marwari-Gujarati and Christian populations. In addition, Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Vikas Dashpute and Samajwadi Party’s Jaynesh Mishra are also in the fray. A total of 10 candidates are contesting from Ward 34, including six from the Muslim c...

Mumbai, Maharashtra:Tensions are rising in Maharashtra’s political landscape as municipal elections approach, with party leaders exchanging sharp barbs. In a recent controversy, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Shaina NC targeted her political rival, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, over his remarks about the Kamathipura area of South Mumbai. Raut’s Controversial Comment Sanjay Raut, in a video that went viral on social media, allegedly said, “For the BJP, anyone is fine. BJP is also standing in Kamathipura to do business, anyone can come.” Kamathipura is traditionally known as Mumbai’s red-light district, and Raut’s comment was widely criticized for being insensitive toward the women living and working there. Shaina NC’s Retort Reacting strongly, Shaina NC described Sanjay Raut as a “roadside man”...

Mumbai: Amid the ongoing municipal election campaigns in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has spoken candidly about his working relationship with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. His remarks, made during a media interview, have sparked widespread discussion. Shinde Clarifies MisconceptionsResponding to questions about his rapport with Fadnavis, Shinde said, “Even when I was the Chief Minister, I never regarded him as Deputy CM; I always considered him a Chief Minister in his own right.” He emphasized that their relationship is based on mutual respect and cooperation, dismissing any rumors of conflict or tension. Shinde also addressed circulating speculation about a so-called “cold war” between the two leaders, calling it “entirely a creation of t...

Mumbai: Ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing the party of being driven solely by a hunger for power. Thackeray alleged that the BJP only uses Hindutva as a facade and is willing to go to any extent to remain in power. He also asserted that the next Mayor of Mumbai will be a Marathi. Targeting BJP HardIn an interview with a regional news channel on Thursday, Thackeray said that while the BJP presents itself as a “pro-Hindutva party,” in reality, it is motivated by power. He referred to the history of the Jana Sangh, saying the party joined the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement late and left early for its own benefit. Thackeray further claimed that opportunism is embedde...

Mumbai: A shocking attack occurred on Wednesday when Shiv Sena candidate Haji Salim Qureshi, aligned with Deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s faction, was allegedly stabbed during a rally in Sant Dnyaneshwar Nagar, Bandra (East). Qureshi sustained injuries to his abdomen and was rushed by supporters on a bike to a private hospital in Bandra (West). The Kherwadi police have registered a case of attempted murder against unidentified assailants. To apprehend the attackers, the Zonal DCP and Mumbai Crime Branch have deployed three teams for the investigation. Details of the AttackAccording to Zone 8 DCP Manish Kalwania, Qureshi was injured around 5 PM while participating in the rally. The motive behind the attack will become clear once the suspects are apprehended. A police officer from Kherwadi n...

Akola: Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Vice-President and senior party leader Hidayatullah Patel (66) succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday morning after being brutally stabbed near a mosque in Akola district. The incident, which took place outside a mosque in Mohala village of Akot taluka, has triggered tension in the area, prompting the deployment of additional police forces. According to police officials, Patel was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon on Tuesday afternoon while he was leaving the Jama (Markaz) Mosque after offering prayers. The assailant allegedly stabbed him multiple times on the neck and chest, leaving him critically injured. Succumbed to Injuries During Treatment Following the attack, Patel was rushed to a private hospital in Akot, where he received in...

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while campaigning for the upcoming Latur Municipal Corporation elections, alleging large-scale cash distribution by rival parties and questioning their commitment to public welfare. Addressing a public rally, Owaisi said that if voters believe political parties are distributing money during elections and consider it unethical, they may still accept the cash and use it to build toilets. He remarked that such practices reflect the moral bankruptcy of mainstream political parties. Owaisi claimed that cash distribution among voters began only after the AIMIM entered the electoral fray. “If we had not fielded candidates, no money would have been distributed,” he alleged. Call for Str...

A Dramatic Political Shift in Maharashtra: BJP and Congress Form Alliance in AmbernathIn a surprising political turn, Maharashtra's BJP and Congress have joined forces to win control of the Ambernath Municipal Council, a significant blow to Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. This unexpected alliance, along with the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, has led to the election of Tejashri Karanjule Patil as the President of the Ambernath Municipal Council, a key political development in Thane district, which is traditionally considered Shinde's stronghold. BJP and Congress Secure Majority in AmbernathThe Ambernath Municipal Council, located in Thane district and a stronghold of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, recently saw a political shakeup when the BJP and Congress formed an unlikely allia...