Polling is underway across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, marking the end of an intense campaign and setting the stage for a decisive political contest in key urban centres including Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Pimpri-Chinchwad

Pawar`s statement comes a day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that the new BMC mayor will be "from Mahayuti, will be a Hindu, and a Marathi"