Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said taht RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawaleshould know who he is aligning with. As the old saying goes about the BJP, there’s no ally it hasn’t betrayed
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey launched a sharp attack on BJP. File Pic
A day after the Republican Party of India (RPI-A) announced it would contest the BMC Election 2026 independently, Shiv Sena (UBT) stated that Union Minister Ramdas Athawale should have realised by now that “there is no ally the BJP has not betrayed,” reported the IANS.
On Tuesday, Athawale declared that the RPI (A) would go solo in the municipal polls, effectively breaking its electoral ties with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.
Reacting to the move, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said, “Ramdas Athawale is a prominent leader, a Union Minister and a Rajya Sabha member. He should know who he is aligning with. As the old saying goes about the BJP, there’s no ally it hasn’t betrayed.”
Dubey added sarcastically, “If I put it in Athawale’s style — if the BJP is not giving them tickets, they should take BJP’s wickets,” according to the IANS.
Seat-sharing dispute
Athawale had accused the Mahayuti alliance of “betrayal” over seat-sharing arrangements, releasing a list of 39 candidates just hours before the nomination deadline. He claimed that, despite assurances, the alliance failed to honour commitments.
Athawale said that although Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had directed that RPI (A) be allocated seats from BJP’s quota, this was never implemented, as per the IANS.
The final day for filing nominations was 30 December, for the 227-member BMC elections scheduled for 15 January 2026. RPI (A) has fielded candidates across North, North-Central, North-West and North-East Mumbai.
Cracks in Mahayuti alliance
Earlier, Mumbai BJP president Amit Satam announced that the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena would contest 137 and 90 seats, respectively. Dubey criticised this arrangement, saying, “Eknath Shinde is being given 90 seats. There was a time when our Shiv Sena used to give tickets to BJP. Now, the BJP is giving them tickets.”
The NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, is also contesting the BMC elections separately, signalling further cracks within the alliance.
Elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the politically crucial Mumbai civic body, will be held on 15 January, with counting on the following day.
Past data
In the 2017 BMC elections, the BJP had made significant gains, winning 82 seats, just two short of the undivided Shiv Sena’s tally. The Congress finished third with 31 seats, while the undivided NCP and Raj Thackeray-led MNS secured 9 and 7 seats, respectively. The AIMIM won 3 seats, Samajwadi Party 6 seats, Akhil Bhartiya Sena 1 seat, and Independents accounted for 4 seats.
(with IANS inputs)
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