Concerns Raised Over Alliance Between Uddhav and Raj Thackeray in BMC Elections

In the wake of the recent BMC elections, Maharashtra's BJP leader Chandrakant Patil has voiced concerns regarding the alliance between cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray. He argues that their coalition appears to prioritize personal interests rather than the public good. Patil remains optimistic about the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance's prospects, predicting a significant number of seats in the BMC. As counting continues across various municipal corporations, initial trends show the BJP leading in several wards, while the NCP and Congress struggle to gain traction. This political landscape raises questions about the motivations behind the Thackeray cousins' partnership.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 16, 2026, 13:09 IST

Minister Questions Thackeray Cousins' Alliance

Chandrakant Patil, a minister and leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra, expressed skepticism on Friday regarding the recent alliance between cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Patil suggested that the coalition between Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) appears to be driven more by self-interest than by public welfare. He stated to a news agency that regardless of whether the Thackeray brothers unite or if Congress and NCP form a coalition, it does not serve the public's best interests. The people have realized that these moves are motivated by personal agendas.

BJP-Shiv Sena Alliance Expected to Succeed

Expressing confidence in the BJP-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) alliance, the minister predicted that they would surpass the majority mark of 114 seats, aiming for a total of 130 seats in the BMC. He remarked, "This number may increase, but it will not decrease." In addition to the BMC elections, voting also took place in 28 other municipal corporations across Maharashtra, with counting of votes still ongoing. When asked about the results in Pune, Patil expressed optimism about the BJP maintaining a comfortable lead, forecasting that the BJP would secure 90 seats in Mumbai and Shiv Sena 40 seats, with the potential for these numbers to rise.

Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS Join Forces

The alliance led by Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) with Raj Thackeray's MNS was formed under the banner of 'saving Marathi identity.' Initial trends from the State Election Commission (SEC) indicate that the BJP is leading in 38 city seats, where the Pawar family contested the local elections together.

Current Election Trends

According to early trends, the NCP is currently leading in 5 seats, while Congress has not gained a lead in any. The previous elections for PMC and PCMC were held eight years ago in 2017. Murli Mohol, the current Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Cooperation, served as Pune's mayor until November 2019. Meanwhile, in the BMC elections in Mumbai, initial counting trends by 11 AM indicated that the BJP-Shiv Sena Mahayuti alliance was leading in approximately 75 wards.