KDMC polls: CM Fadnavis ensures growth for BJP, but Sena still has upper hand

by Smita Deshmukh

Mumbai: It could not have been a better one year anniversary gift. Within two days that he completed a year in office, Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis has ensured that his party – the BJP – is growing on its own acquiring significant seat share in two crucial municipal polls held in the state.

From a mere nine seats in 2010 in Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC), to a whopping 42 seats is huge jump for the saffron party. However, with 52 seats, the Shiv Sena has emerged as the single largest party in the satellite towns of Mumbai. Ironically, both Sena and BJP are now hunting partners to reach the magic number of 61.

Trust him to be down, but certainly not out. Though his engine stopped from 27 seats to 9 seats in KDMC, Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is proving to be the kingmaker in KDMC. Will Raj go with his cousin Uddhav to keep BJP out? That’s the big question in Maharashtra today.

In Kolhapur, Congress-NCP ensured they are back in power. In 81 seat Kolhapur civic body, Congress (27) and NCP (15) have ensured they remain in power. NCP and Congress have also posted significant gains in the municipal council poll results, which are trickling in. However, here too, the BJP here has jumped from mere 3 seats in 2010 to 12 seats now.

If there is one message which these crucial twin polls results has given, it is this – taking calculated risk, Fadnavis has ensured exponential growth of his party. However, Shiv Sena remains supreme when it comes to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) on its own strength and refuse to be bogged down by the state BJP. On the other hand, by their decisive victory in Kolhapur, local leaders of Congress and NCP in have shown big masters that a political comeback is well possible, while the NCP is gaining heavily in the 67 municipal council polls across the state.

There is little doubt that Fadnavis, who personally campaigned along with his entire cabinet, has ensured that the party’s seat share has grown significantly in both polls. This election was also dubbed as a litmus test for the CM. He has certainly won round one, but the party is far away from seeking power in municipal regions of both cities.

Maharashtra never saw a municipal poll that garnered so much attention at state and national level as this one. The results have shown that the 25 year-old-alliance between the Shiv Sena and BJP is now at its lowest phase. In fact, the last two days of campaigning saw CM Fadnavis and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray indulging in unprecedented attacks on each other.

KDMC results also showed the complete decimation of Congress and NCP. Anti-incumbency was not a factor here at all. Rebels, show of money and muscle power, last minute alliances were the hallmark of these municipal polls showcasing how all parties were desperate to win. In Kolhapur, it was BJP’s alliance partner Tara Rani, which won whopping 20 seats, taking their tally to 32, but still falling short from the magic number of 41.

With the semi-final over, decks are cleared for the 10 big polls civic polls early 2017, which include big cities like Mumbai, Thane, Pimpri-Chinwad, Nasik and Solapur. Will CM Fadnavis who has already declared that his party would partner with Sena in 2017, still insist on the alliance after significant gains today? Or will the Sena’s Tiger roar loud?

An aggressive, vicious campaign has come to an end. A confident, resurgent CM Fadnavis versus an equally determined Uddhav Thackeray are fast changing the political equations in Maharashtra. And yes, Raj Thackeray is very much around.

Smita Deshmukh is a senior journalist and communications expert based in Mumbai. Follow her on @smitadeshmukh