The BJP is considering contesting alone in Mumbai, Pune, and Thane for the upcoming municipal elections in Maharashtra. This shift comes as the party faces pressure from alliance partners over seat-sharing.
Despite officially staying in the Mahayuti alliance, which includes Ajit Pawar’s NCP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, BJP leaders are preparing for independent campaigns in these three cities.
Sources attribute this to disagreements over seat distribution. Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently visited Maharashtra for three days. During the visit, he discussed seat-sharing with both Deputy Chief Ministers, Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde.
After these meetings, Shah reportedly advised the BJP’s state unit to prepare for solo fights in Mumbai, Thane, and Pune.
Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, has asked for 107 out of 227 seats in the Mumbai civic body. Reports suggest that Shinde is under pressure to deliver on promises made to over a hundred former corporators who left the Uddhav Thackeray faction and joined him.
BJP leaders feel that giving up 107 seats would reduce their influence. In the last BMC election, the BJP had won 82 seats on its own. With other alliance partners like the RPI also in the mix, BJP leaders are worried about their negotiating power shrinking further.
In Pune, Ajit Pawar’s NCP has also demanded a large number of seats. The party claims strong presence and cadre support in the city.
In other areas, alliances may be formed based on local conditions. Fadnavis has also said that some areas require a self-reliant approach.
Over 27 municipal corporations have been pending for two to four years. The Supreme Court has ordered that an election must be held within four months. Hence, elections are expected during or just after the monsoon.