As a result, both parties are now preparing to contest separately in several key civic bodies, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Navi Mumbai, Ulhasnagar, and other strategically important urban centres
Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis. File Pic
Despite being alliance partners under the Mahayuti banner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, remain caught in a seat-sharing impasse ahead of the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra. The prolonged stalemate has exposed underlying strains within the ruling alliance, even as the poll schedule draws closer.
The two allies have failed to finalise a seat-sharing arrangement in nearly 10 municipal corporations across the state. As a result, both parties are now preparing to contest separately in several key civic bodies, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Navi Mumbai, Ulhasnagar, and other strategically important urban centres.
The most prominent flashpoint in the negotiations has been Thane, where discussions over nearly 10 seats have reportedly stalled talks between the two parties. According to reports, the BJP was offered around 40 seats in the Thane Municipal Corporation, a proposal that triggered dissatisfaction among party workers and local leaders. BJP functionaries are demanding at least 10 additional seats, citing the party’s organisational strength and electoral presence in multiple pockets of the city.
Upset with BJP over seat allocation, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena might likely part ways with it ahead of PMC polls.
Accusing the BJP of not allotting a respectful share of seats to the Shiv Sena in their pre-poll alliance, the Eknath Shinde-led party on Tuesday said it is all set to part ways with the NDA partner ahead of elections to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
The deadlock comes at a critical time, as the Maharashtra State Election Commission has announced elections to 29 municipal corporations across the state. These include high-profile civic bodies such as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Pune Municipal Corporation, and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.
In Mumbai, polling across 227 wards is scheduled for January 15, with counting set for January 16. With little time left for reconciliation, the failure of Mahayuti allies to reach a unified seat-sharing formula could significantly impact their electoral prospects in Maharashtra’s crucial civic battlegrounds.
BMC elections 2026: BJP to contest 137 seats, Shiv Sena 90
Meanwhile, the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will contest 137 and 90 seats, respectively, in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls.
A seat-sharing pact was revealed by Mumbai BJP president Amit Satam on Monday, following hectic parleys a day before the deadline for filing nomination papers closes on December 30.
Both parties will allocate some seats from their respective quotas to alliance partners, Satam added.
Candidates of both parties will file their nomination papers on Tuesday.
Another constituent of Mahayuti, the NCP, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, is contesting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls separately.
Elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the high-stakes Mumbai, will be held on January 15, and votes will be counted the next day.
In the BMC elections held in 2017 for 227 seats, the BJP made giant strides in the Shiv Sena citadel of Mumbai, winning 82 seats, just two seats behind the estranged ally Shiv Sena (undivided).
The Congress was relegated to the third position with 31 seats, whereas the NCP (undivided) and Raj Thackeray's MNS were reduced to 9 and 7 seats, respectively.
AIMIM had won three seats on debut, Samajwadi Party six, Akhil Bhartiya Sena one, and Independents four.
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