Mumbai's political landscape is heating up as the ruling Mahayuti alliance races against time to finalize its strategy for the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. With the deadline for filing nominations on December 30 fast approaching, intense negotiations are underway between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Consensus Reached on Majority of Seats
Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant confirmed on Sunday that the seat-sharing discussions between the two allies are in their final phase. He stated it is certain that the ruling parties will contest the polls together under the Mahayuti (grand alliance) banner. While Samant did not disclose the exact formula, he indicated that key figures from both sides, including Sena's Rahul Shewale and BJP's Ameet Satam, have been instrumental in the talks.
According to BJP functionaries, a 128-79 seat-sharing formula (BJP-Sena) has been finalized for a significant portion of the 227-seat BMC. However, discussions are still pending for an additional 20 seats. Shiv Sena functionaries revealed that their party has sought an extra 10-15 seats, aiming to bring their total tally to over 100 seats, which was their original demand when negotiations began.
Final Round of Talks on Disputed Seats
A last round of high-level talks was expected to be held late Sunday between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to resolve the deadlock over the 20 disputed seats. A final formula was anticipated to be announced on Monday, which would pave the way for the declaration of candidate lists. Ameet Satam clarified that the alliance has decided to contest all 227 seats together, with consensus already achieved on 200 seats. The decision on the remaining 27 seats, he said, would be based on candidate strength and winnability criteria.
RPI(A)'s Discontent and BJP's Pacification Efforts
Meanwhile, the seat-sharing process has hit a minor snag with the Republican Party of India (Athawale) expressing unhappiness at being left out of the Mumbai arrangement. RPI(A) president and Union Minister of State, Ramdas Athawale, stated that his party was excluded from the Mahayuti's seat-sharing plan for the BMC. He initially sought 26 seats from the BJP and has now scaled down his demand to at least 15-16 seats. Athawale announced his intention to meet CM Fadnavis to resolve the issue.
In a bid to pacify the ally, BJP leader Praveen Darekar met with Athawale to discuss seat sharing. Darekar emphasized that Athawale and his party are part of the Mahayuti family and assured that the alliance would definitely respect his concerns. This development highlights the challenges of managing a multi-party coalition where all partners seek adequate representation.
As the clock ticks down to the nomination deadline, all eyes are on the top leadership of the Shiv Sena and the BJP. Their ability to swiftly resolve the remaining seat disputes and present a united front will be critical for the Mahayuti alliance's prospects in the high-stakes battle for control of India's richest municipal corporation.
