Who will control these five municipal corporations in Maharashtra? This leader's prediction has caused a stir.

News Topical, Digital Desk : Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance will retain control of all five municipal corporations in western Maharashtra in the upcoming civic elections.

The senior BJP leader said the Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Eknath Shinde -led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will win the mayoral posts in all 29 municipal corporations in the state, where elections are scheduled to be held on January 15.

He dismissed the impact of regional and linguistic issues raised by rival parties in Mumbai, saying both Marathi and non-Marathi voters would continue to support the alliance.

How many seats will come in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kolhapur, Sangli and Ichalkaranji?

Patil is responsible for overseeing preparations for the elections to the Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kolhapur, Sangli and Ichalkaranji municipal corporations, where the BJP came to power after the 2017 civic polls.

The BJP leader said that their internal assessment indicates a decisive lead in all these municipal bodies. He added that the BJP has a strong position in the 165-member Pune Municipal Corporation.

He said, "We are confident of winning around 115 seats. Not even one less than 115. This estimate is based on a review of the detailed constituency-wise and ward-level assessment recently conducted by BJP state president Ravindra Chavan."

Patil claimed that at least 10 more seats could be added after the corrective measures suggested by Chavan.

In Pune, the BJP is contesting the elections virtually independently, sharing some seats with its coalition partner, the Republican Party of India (A). The BJP and Shiv Sena failed to reach an agreement on seat sharing, leading to a failed alliance.

Patil said the BJP is expected to win 80 of the 128 seats in Pimpri-Chinchwad, while local leaders estimate the figure could reach 85.

Big prediction on Kolhapur

In Kolhapur, the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP are working in close coordination. Patil said, "The alliance of the three parties there is perfect. The Mahayuti is expected to win around 65 of the 81 seats. Whatever the seat-sharing arrangement, the mayor's post will remain with the alliance."

He has expressed the possibility of BJP getting 55 seats out of total 65 in Ichalkaranji Municipal Corporation.

In Sangli, he acknowledged the presence of opposition forces like NCP (Sharad Chandra Pawar) leader Jayant Patil, Congress MLA Vishwajeet Kadam, former BJP MP and NCP leader Sanjay Kaka Patil and sitting MP Vishal Patil, but said the BJP-led alliance was in a position to improve on its previous performance.

He stated that the party is confident of winning at least 45 of the 78 seats, including those contested by the Republican Party of India (RPI), which is contesting on the BJP symbol. He clarified that the Shiv Sena is not part of the alliance in Sangli.

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