Alliance talk fails, BJP & Shinde Sena to contest NMMC polls independently

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde. (File photo)

Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena finalised seat-sharing arrangements for Mumbai, Thane and Vasai–Virar, the alliance failed to work out in Navi Mumbai, where the two parties will contest independently in the upcoming civic polls.

The split in Navi Mumbai came to light late Monday night after seat-sharing talks between the BJP and the Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde broke down for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

“We will be contesting all seats in Navi Mumbai,” Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said, adding that in Thane, the Sena would continue to contest in alliance with the BJP.

In Mumbai, however, the alliance moved quickly after the pact was sealed. Within hours of finalising a 90–137(Sena–BJP) seat-sharing formula on Monday night, the Shinde-led Sena distributed AB forms overnight to all its 90 candidates late night for filing the nominations immediately on Tuesday.

The party gave AB forms to almost all former corporators who had quit the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) after the 2022 split and joined the Shinde-led Sena.

In some wards, however, Sena aspirants could not be accommodated as the seats went to the BJP under the seat-sharing agreement.

Among those who received AB forms were Yamini Jadhav (Ward 209) and Amey Ghole (Ward 178). Ghole said in a post on X that he would continue to work for Wadala and Dadar (East) with greater responsibility.

Other candidates who received AB forms include Dr Aditi Khursange (Ward 11), Parameshwar Kadam (Ward 133), Pushpa Koli (Wadala), Ashwini Hande (Bhatwadi–Ghatkopar) and Rajul Patel (Jogeshwari).

Meanwhile, BJP ally Republican Party of India (Athawale) announced it would contest the BMC elections independently after failing to secure seats in the Mahayuti alliance. RPI (A) president and Uvnion Minister of State Ramdas Athawale said the party would contest 38 seats unless the BJP gave it 12 seats from its quota.

On the opposition side, while Sena (UBT) and the MNS did not announce a formal alliance, the two parties finalised a seat-sharing arrangement as part of which Sena UBT is contesting around 165 seats, MNS 52 seats and NCP (SP) 10.The MNS distributed AB forms on Monday night, with all candidates filed nominations on Tuesday.