The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) on Saturday announced a formal probe following the unopposed election of 68 Mahayuti candidates ahead of the upcoming municipal corporation elections in the state. The poll body said it would investigate whether the withdrawal of opposition nominations was voluntary or influenced by pressure tactics, before officially declaring the candidates elected unopposed.

The elections for Maharashtra’s municipal corporations are scheduled for January 15, with results expected on January 16. The withdrawal of nominations closed on Friday, and it was observed that a significant number of Mahayuti candidates secured unopposed victories. Among them, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led the tally with 44 candidates, followed by 22 from Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and two from Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

BJP leaders attributed these early wins to the popularity of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the effective organisational strategy of Maharashtra unit chief Ravindra Chavan.

However, the opposition has alleged that coercion and intimidation were involved. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut described the process as “mobocracy,” claiming that BJP pressure forced several candidates to withdraw. He cited an instance where a potential candidate was reportedly advised by a local minister, in a tone that felt like both a request and a threat, to follow the directions of the local MLA.

Similarly, Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), contesting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in alliance with the UBT, criticised the unopposed outcomes. “Why do you hold polls if you want to win them before voting? Both the ruling parties should distribute seats among themselves. Democracy has ended in India and the state,” said MNS leader Avinash Jadhav.