Maharashtra civic polls: Mahayuti set for big win in west, says Patil

Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil has expressed confidence that the BJPled Mahayuti will retain control of all five municipal corporations in western Maharashtra in the upcoming civic pollsMahayuti eyeing mayoral posts across all 29 civic bodiesThe senior BJP leader further told PTI that the Mahayuti comprising the BJP Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawars NCP would secure mayoral posts across all 29 municipal corporations in the state where the elections are scheduled on January 15Marathi and nonMarathi voters backing alliance says PatilHe also downplayed the impact of regional and linguistic issues raised by rival parties in Mumbai claiming that both Marathi and nonMarathi voters continue to back the alliancePatil is overseeing election preparations for Pune PimpriChinchwad Kolhapur Sangli and Ichalkaranji municipal corporations where the BJP came to power after the 2017 civic pollsBJP expects over 115 seats in Pune Municipal CorporationThe BJP leader said their internal assessments indicate a decisive advantage across these municipal bodies BJP is on a strong footing in the 165member Pune Municipal Corporation he addedWe are already confident of winning around 115 seatsnot less than 115 The assessment is based on a recent microlevel review of detailed constituencywise and wardlevel assessments conducted by our state BJP president Ravindra Chavan he told PTISeatsharing with RPIA no alliance with Shiv Sena in PuneFollowing the corrective measures suggested by Chavan at least 10 more seats can be added Patil claimedBJP is almost contesting independently in Pune with some seats shared with alliance partner Republican Party of India A The alliance with Shiv Sena could not fructify as no understanding could be reached between the two parties over seatsharingPatil further said the BJP expects to win 80 of the 128 seats in PimpriChinchwad with local leaders projecting the figure could rise to 85Strong coordination between BJP Shiv Sena and NCP in KolhapurIn Kolhapur the BJP Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party NCP are working in close coordination he informedIt is a perfect alliance of all three partners there Out of 81 seats the Mahayuti is expected to secure around 65 the BJP leader said expressing confidence that the mayors post will remain within the alliance irrespective of the seatsharing arrangementAs far as the Ichalkaranji civic body in Kolhapur district is concerned there are a total of 65 seats and the BJP will win 55 Patil saidBJP confident in Sangli despite Opposition heavyweightsIn Sangli he acknowledged the presence of some Opposition political heavyweights like NCP SP leader Jayant Patil Congress MLA Vishwajeet Kadam former BJP MP and NCP leader Sanjay Kaka Patil and present MP Vishal Patil but maintained that the BJPled combine is wellplaced to improve upon its previous performanceHe said 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 fighting on the BJPs symbol Shiv Sena he clarified is not part of the alliance in SangliSolapur challenges under control says PatilThe BJP leader also dismissed concerns about internal challenges in Solapur stating that despite differences no leader was acting against party interests The Opposition remains fragmented while the BJPs legislative strength in the district has improved since the last election he saidOn the overall civic poll scenario in Maharashtra Chandrakant Patil claimed the Mahayuti alliance would win all 29 municipal corporations in the stateWith inputs from PTI