The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition in Maharashtra is on the verge of finalising its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections. In a significant development, all five alliance partners have reportedly reached a broad understanding on the majority of the civic body's seats.
Consensus Reached on Majority of Wards
The five-party alliance includes Shiv Sena (UBT), the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Indian National Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Alliance leaders confirmed that a consensus has already been achieved on approximately 100 of the total 122 seats in the Nashik civic body. Discussions concerning the remaining segments are scheduled to be completed by Saturday, October 28th.
A joint meeting of all five partners was conducted on Thursday night. During this crucial huddle, leaders meticulously reviewed several critical factors, including ward-level organisational strength, the availability of suitable candidates, and the historical electoral performance in various segments.
Positive Discussions and Final Push
A senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader stated that the alliance has unanimously decided to contest the NMC elections unitedly under the common MVA banner. "We have reached an agreement on around 95 to 100 seats. Talks on the remaining 15 to 20 seats will continue on Saturday," he revealed.
Echoing this positive sentiment, a senior Congress leader confirmed that Thursday's deliberations were "positive and constructive." He added that the coalition reached a broad understanding on nearly 80% of the total seats. "We could not meet on Friday, but a joint review will take place on Saturday, after which the final formula is expected to be declared," the Congress leader added.
Grassroots Strength and Campaign Preparations
In a related development, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Anil Desai and Ravindra Mirlekar visited Nashik on Friday. They held a closed-door meeting with local office-bearers to assess the party's preparedness for the crucial civic polls.
Speaking to reporters, Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament Anil Desai commented on the broader political landscape. He remarked that Maharashtra has witnessed unprecedented political instability since 2022, with several leaders switching sides under pressure or inducements. However, Desai asserted that despite these defections, the core cadre of Shiv Sena (UBT) remained steadfastly loyal to the party's leadership and its organisational principles.
"Those working at the grassroots have stayed with us. Only individuals driven by personal motives have shifted," Desai stated, highlighting the resilience of the party's base.
With the MVA preparing to officially cement its seat-sharing structure by Saturday, all partner parties are expected to kick-start a coordinated and vigorous campaigning effort early next week. This alignment is seen as a critical step in presenting a united front against the ruling alliance in the Nashik Municipal Corporation elections.
