The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) of Raj Thackeray also joined hands with the Congress and the Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray for the January 15 polls. (File photos)
In response to their Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Nationalist Congress Party (SP) deciding to contest the Pune Municipal Corporation polls along with the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) Monday declared their alliance. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) of Raj Thackeray also joined hands with the Congress and the Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray for the January 15 polls.
“The alliance of the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) has been done. The Congress has been given 60 seats and Shiv Sena (UBT) has been given 45 seats as of now. The discussion on the remaining 60 seats is going on in which other alliance partners will also be accommodated,” said Congress leader Satej Patil.
He said the alliance announcement was delayed due to the NCP (SP)’s frequent changes in stance. “The NCP (SP) has finally joined hands with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, so things have become clear for us,” said Patil. Both the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) opposed the NCP (SP) decision of joining hands with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, due to its coalition with the rival BJP, both at the state and the Centre.
The PMC polls are scheduled for January 15, with counting on January 16. Besides Pune, 28 other municipal corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in Maharashtra will go to polls on January 15.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir said his party has secured 40 seats in the seat-sharing arrangement so far, and the official letters will be issued to candidates for filing their nominations.
“It has been decided that the Congress will talk to its other alliance partners like Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and other parties, while the Shiv Sena(UBT) will hold discussions with the MNS and other parties for the sharing of remaining seats,” he said.
The MNS had sought 32 seats in the Pune civic body. Ahir said that the discussion on seat sharing with the MNS is ongoing and will be finalised soon.
“Also, there are many from the BJP and its allies, as well as NCP and NCP (SP) allies, that are reaching out to us for candidature, considering they are not going to get a ticket from their respective party. We will wait for all those who reach out to us and give candidature to them based on their ability to win,” he said.
BJP’s strategy is to eliminate Opposition, says Sachin Ahir
Ahir said it has been the BJP’s strategy to ensure there is no Opposition left in the civic body, asking its ally, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, to contest independently so that the BJP and the NCP occupy both the ruling and Opposition seats.
“The Ajit Pawar-led NCP will be the ruling party after the civic polls. If they are serious, then Ajit Pawar should declare in public that his party would not join hands with the BJP after the elections,” he added.
On the MNS becoming part of MVA, Patil said that if the partners of the ruling Mahayuti are forging alliances as per their convenience with political parties outside their alliance, then why the Opposition MVA should not think of new alliance partners.
“These elections are to resolve the civic issues of Pune. The BJP and its alliance partner have failed to resolve the issues in their rule, so we have come together to handle the problems of citizens,” he said.