Announcing the initiative, NCP president and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said worsening civic issues, including water shortages, garbage accumulation, traffic congestion, and rising pollution levels, were “alarm bells” pointing to administrative failure at the municipal level

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said BJP’s local tie-ups with Congress and AIMIM in Ambernath and Akot are unacceptable and will be scrapped. The alliances ahead of civic polls triggered sharp criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT), which termed them unethical and opportunistic