Poll Potboiler: Smaller Parties Turn Up The Heat On Last Day

Nagpur: With the campaign clock ticking down to 6pm on Tuesday, opposition parties and smaller political outfits rolled out a flurry of rallies and roadshows across the city, packing the final hours with high-decibel canvassing before the mandatory silence period set in.NCP(SP), BSP, AIMIM & other smaller parties ramped up voter outreach, turning the last day into a show of strength. Multiple neighbourhoods witnessed bike rallies, car processions and compact public meetings, as candidates and party workers attempted to leave a lasting impression on voters ahead of polling.Senior NCP(SP) leader and former state home minister Anil Deshmukh led a high-energy open-jeep roadshow through key pockets of the city. Accompanied by part's city chief Duneshwar Pethe, he addressed residents at several stops, with party workers waving flags and raising slogans along the route in Ward 23, from where Pethe is contesting. The procession saw a large turnout, including scooter and bike rallies involving 500-600 vehicles, along with e-rickshaws joining the convoy. In a dramatic visual, flowers were showered on the rally as Deshmukh stood atop the jeep, drawing crowds at busy intersections.Pethe said the sustained campaign reflected the party's emphasis on daily engagement. "Leaders like Deshmukh showed what real grassroots politics looks like. He was present every single day — conducting rallies, leading padyatras & knocking on doors to speak directly with people," Pethe said. "From continuous public interactions to high-energy rallies, the movement kept growing, with 300-400 local citizens actively participating alongside karyakartas."The BSP, too, mounted a sustained final push, focusing on direct interaction with voters at ward level. Senior BSP leader Uttam Shewde said the campaign over the past three days centred on local issues rather than large-scale spectacles. "For the last three days, we carried out bike rallies and padyatras across the prabhag to directly connect with people," Shewde said. "We spoke about key issues like sewage problems, rubbish collection and other concerns affecting residents, and explained how we plan to help resolve them."On the final day, the BSP organised coordinated car and bike rallies from 11 am, covering the entire Prabhag area. "Around 50–60 people participated in rallies, which concluded with a samapan sabha attended by nearly 70 citizens. We interacted closely with residents and highlighted our work," he added. With canvassing reaching peak on Tuesday, AIMIM launched one of its largest campaign drives, rolling out an intensive rally from morning that covered all 17 seats it is contesting. The outreach moved through narrow lanes and major roads alike, with supporters campaigning on cars and bikes, and even on foot at several locations.A senior AIMIM leader Shahid Rangoonwala said "In addition to the mega rally, the party carried out sustained door-to-door campaigning throughout the past week, complemented by small meetings, nukkad sabhas, and 10–15 public gatherings across different localities."He also added that, "Over last 2 days, AIMIM organised major rallies in Mominpura, drawing hundreds of participants. In the absence of party president Asaduddin Owaisi, around 200–300 printed Owaisi face masks were distributed among supporters."The campaign received momentum with participation of MP AIMIM head Mokshin Ali Shah, party leaders said, which helped strengthen engagement with citizens at community level.