Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance is confident it will secure strong public backing in the upcoming local body elections, thanks to its unwavering commitment to development and effective governance, stated Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday, November 2, 2025.
During a media address after participating in the sacred Kartiki Ekadashi puja at the Vitthal temple in Pandharpur, Mr. Shinde highlighted the government’s swift action in supporting farmers affected by unseasonal rains. He noted a substantial relief package of ₹32,000 crore, which was distributed during the Diwali festivities. Furthermore, he informed reporters that a decision regarding farm loan waivers is expected by June 30, 2026, following the submission of a committee’s recommendations, anticipated by early April.
Mr. Shinde also announced the approval of a significant ₹120 crore development plan dedicated to curbing pollution in the sacred Chandrabhaga river, a vital site for Warkaris embarking on their pilgrimage to Pandharpur.
“The public values concrete action, and our focus is unequivocally on development,” asserted Mr. Shinde. He reiterated the alliance’s resounding success in the previous Assembly election, expressing optimism for similar widespread support in the upcoming local polls.
United Opposition Raises Concerns
These statements from the Deputy CM come just a day after a unified opposition staged a protest march in Mumbai, addressing alleged widespread irregularities in the voters’ list. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising prominent parties like the Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (SP), joined forces with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena to accuse the Election Commission of overlooking critical issues such as duplicate entries, incorrect deletions, and suspicious additions to the State’s electoral roll.
The demonstration, aptly named the ‘Satyacha Morcha’ or ‘March for Truth,’ showcased a rare display of solidarity among key opposition figures, including Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Raj Thackeray, and Balasaheb Thorat. Thousands of their supporters marched from Fashion Street to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters in Mumbai, vocalizing their concerns about the legitimacy of the voters’ list.
The opposition leaders alleged that approximately one crore fraudulent or duplicate entries had been added across various constituencies, providing specific instances such as voters being registered at public toilets and official residences. They firmly demanded that the local body elections be postponed until a thorough and accurate correction of the electoral rolls is completed, accusing the Election Commission of negligence in addressing these significant discrepancies. The Supreme Court has, however, mandated the Maharashtra State Election Commission to conduct these local body polls by January 31, 2026.