Kalyan-Dombivli Civic Polls See Multi-Cornered Fight, Voter Turnout Rises to 52.11%
KALYAN: The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections on Thursday witnessed a high-voltage, multi-cornered political contest, with several major alliances battling for control of the civic body in Maharashtra’s Thane district. The key contenders include the BJP–Shiv Sena–RPI combine, the Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance, the Congress–NCP (Sharad Pawar) front, and the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar.
While the BJP and Shiv Sena are contesting together as Mahayuti allies in most wards, the presence of multiple alliances has turned the election into a tightly fought contest across the civic limits. Voting was held for 122 seats in the KDMC, which is considered a politically significant urban body in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
According to preliminary estimates, voter turnout in Kalyan-Dombivli stood at 52.11%, marking an increase of nearly three percentage points compared to the 2015 civic polls. Turnout remained sluggish until early afternoon not only in KDMC but also in neighbouring municipal corporations such as Ulhasnagar and Bhiwandi-Nizampur. However, voting activity picked up steadily as the day progressed.
To manage crowds and reduce long queues, the civic administration introduced additional polling arrangements. Besides schools, polling booths were set up in housing complex car parks, a move that officials said helped ease congestion in densely populated areas. Polling across KDMC was largely peaceful, with no major incidents reported.
Security was tightened in sensitive areas. In Panel No. 29, additional police forces were deployed following clashes between BJP and Shiv Sena workers in the days leading up to polling. Police personnel were also seen turning back vehicles allegedly arriving from Badlapur, as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incidents.
Meanwhile, other MMR civic bodies such as Vasai-Virar also recorded slightly higher voter turnout compared to previous elections, according to estimates released on Thursday night. In contrast, Bhiwandi and Ulhasnagar appeared to have registered a marginal dip in turnout.
Some voters in Kalyan-Dombivli reported confusion due to the implementation of the four-member panel system. At a few polling stations, voters hesitated after not hearing a confirmation “beep” on the electronic voting machines. Poll officials clarified that voters were required to cast separate votes for each of the four candidates listed on different EVMs under the panel-based system.
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The increased voter turnout in Kalyan-Dombivli suggests a renewed public interest in local governance, especially amid a fragmented political landscape marked by shifting alliances. While administrative measures helped ensure smooth polling, confusion over the panel system highlights the need for clearer voter education. As counting day approaches, the KDMC results are expected to offer important signals about urban voter sentiment in Maharashtra, particularly ahead of future state-level political battles.