All eyes on BMC polls results; crucial for Shiv Sena to retain cash-rich corporation

It is believed that BMC polls results would be a fresh mandate for the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition, and it would decide their future course of action.  

As the campaign had turned into a slugfest between the two parties, throwing up the question if there would be a parting of ways post-election.

The counting will take place on February 23. BJP, which had been a junior partner of Sena before it gained the upper hand through the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, declined to accept the number of seats offered by the Sena in this poll, setting the stage for a high-voltage electioneering that saw charges and counter-charges flying thick. 

The BJP has its eyes set on gaining power in BMC, one of world's largest city bodies with an annual budget of over Rs 37,000 crore, undeterred by Sena's threat of pulling the plug on the state government, which its chief put on "notice period" shortly after the campaign took off. 

The BJP flagged "transparency" in civic administration as the central slogan while the Sena campaigned on its performance in BMC over the last two decades.

Larger civic amenities like better roads, water supply and measures to contain pollution were drowned in the political cacophony of the campaign. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Minister Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari cast their votes in Nagpur.

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar voted in Mumbai. Though it was a very busy and eventful day for N Chandrasekaran who took over as Tata Sons chairman, casting ballot took precedence over his professional engagements.

Bollywood celebrities like Rekha, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, Zoya Akhtar, Gulzar and others were also seen in the queue to cast their votes for the BMC, some of them voicing concern over the civic amenities in the megapolis. 

For 1,268 seats of the ten municipal corporations, there are 9,208 candidates; for 11 zilla parishads there are 2,956 candidates for 654 seats, and 5,167 candidates for 1,288 seats in 118 panchayat samitis. The first phase of 15 zilla parishads and 165 panchayat samitis polling was held on February 16 where 69 per cent voters exercised their franchise. 

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