Maharashtra Civic Elections: Congress to Seal Candidates After December 25 Meet

Pune, 19th December 2025: As the countdown to municipal corporation elections begins, Maharashtra’s political landscape is slowly settling into place, with parties sharpening strategies and alliances negotiating their electoral paths. While the ruling Mahayuti has already mapped out a joint contest for the upcoming civic polls, deliberations within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are entering a crucial phase.

The Congress, a key constituent of the MVA, is close to finalising its list of candidates and is expected to forward the names to senior party leadership in the coming days. Pune City Congress president Arvind Shinde confirmed that a high-level meeting scheduled for December 25 in Mumbai is likely to play a decisive role in finalizing the party’s candidates for the civic elections.

According to Shinde, discussions among MVA partners have been ongoing to ensure a coordinated electoral strategy. “Alliance meetings have been held continuously over the last few days. A formal announcement regarding our collective approach to the civic polls will be made shortly,” he said.

While a detailed seat-sharing arrangement has yet to be finalized, Shinde noted that a broad consensus has already been achieved on key principles. “It has been agreed that once a seat is allotted to a particular party, no other alliance partner will field a candidate there. Importantly, the alliance will remain intact even after the elections,” he added.

Former Congress MLA Ramesh Bagwe said the party has completed groundwork at the ward level and identified a strong pool of contenders. “We have around 90 dedicated and capable candidates who have consistently worked for the party and have a strong chance of victory. Such winnable candidates will be given priority,” he said.

Bagwe also clarified that no decision has been taken regarding any potential understanding with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). “At present, we are focused on contesting as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, and discussions are underway among all alliance partners,” he added.

The Congress Parliamentary Board meeting on December 25 is expected to give final approval to the party’s nominees, after which the official candidate list will be released.

With electoral timelines approaching, the coming days are expected to bring greater clarity on opposition unity and candidate announcements across Maharashtra’s urban centres.