The ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra has begun internal deliberations on seat-sharing ahead of the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections scheduled for January 15. According to sources cited by India Today, the alliance has taken a strategic decision to sideline Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from the Mumbai civic polls, effectively limiting the contest in the state capital to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Sources familiar with the discussions said that intense negotiations are underway between the BJP and the Shiv Sena, with the latter demanding a significantly larger share of seats. The Shiv Sena has reportedly staked a claim to 125 of the 227 seats in the BMC, arguing that its long-standing organisational presence in Mumbai and its influence over the core Marathi voter base justify a dominant role in the elections. The BJP, however, has described this demand as merely a proposal rather than a settled arrangement.
Leaders from the BJP camp have indicated that the party is aiming to contest between 140 and 150 seats, while an alternative formula under consideration would allocate around 80 to 90 seats to the Shiv Sena. The Shinde-led Sena, however, is pushing back against this suggestion and is pressing for a higher number of seats, citing its historical roots in Mumbai politics and its ability to deliver electoral victories in the city.
A final decision on the seat-sharing arrangement is expected to be taken by a coordination committee set up within the Mahayuti. The overarching objective of the alliance is to wrest control of the BMC, which has traditionally been a stronghold of the undivided Shiv Sena and remains one of the most influential municipal bodies in the country.
Beyond Mumbai, the Mahayuti has decided to contest all other local body elections across Maharashtra as a united front, following a broadly similar strategy. Under this plan, the BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena will take the lead in Mumbai and Thane, while in cities such as Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, a coalition that includes the NCP will be worked out. The seat-sharing formula for Nashik has not yet been finalised, and alliance leaders have not ruled out the possibility of a friendly contest there.
At the state level, the Mahayuti has reportedly set itself an ambitious target of securing at least 51 per cent of the overall vote share across all municipal bodies in Maharashtra. In light of past internal frictions, the alliance leadership has issued clear instructions to ensure that all partners contest local body elections together and avoid three-cornered fights that could benefit the opposition.
Mahayuti strategists believe that realistic seat-sharing, close coordination at the grassroots level and disciplined campaigning will be essential to mount a strong challenge against the Maha Vikas Aghadi and its INDIA bloc allies.
Meanwhile, on the opposition side, political realignments are also taking shape. Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are expected to formally announce their alliance on December 23. The move follows a meeting between Raj Thackeray and senior Uddhav Sena leader Sanjay Raut earlier this week.
The timing of the announcement has reportedly been calibrated to coincide with the start of the BMC nomination process on December 23. Sources suggest that the Thackeray cousins have delayed a formal declaration to avoid discontent among aspiring candidates from both parties who may not receive tickets and could otherwise defect to the ruling Mahayuti.
Candidate interviews by the Uddhav Sena and the MNS are expected to begin shortly. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sanjay Raut said that the alliance between Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS would extend beyond Mumbai and include civic elections in Pune, Nashik, Thane, Mira-Bhayander and Kalyan-Dombivli as well.
Raut also said there was no obstacle to announcing the alliance within the coming week and added that Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray would jointly appear on stage to make the announcement official. On the question of an alliance with the Congress, Raut said he had spoken to the party’s senior leadership and urged it to contest the BMC polls as part of the broader INDIA bloc, which he believes should also accommodate the MNS. However, he noted that the Congress leadership has left the final decision to its local unit in Maharashtra.
