BJP and Shinde's Shiv Sena Finalize Seat Sharing for BMC Elections

Seat Sharing Agreement Reached

After several days of discussions, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena have come to an agreement regarding seat distribution for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Sources revealed on Friday that according to the formula established by the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP will contest 140 seats, while Shinde's faction will run for 87 seats. Voting for the BMC is scheduled for January 15, coinciding with elections in other municipal corporations across the state. The counting of votes will take place on January 16.

Alliance Amidst Reports of Discontent

This development follows marathon meetings amid reports of dissatisfaction between the coalition partners. However, both the BJP and Shinde's Shiv Sena have dismissed these claims, stating through sources that they have finalized arrangements for 200 seats, with negotiations ongoing for the remaining 27. Amidst these reports of discontent, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had previously supported the Shiv Sena and instructed BJP leaders to refrain from openly attacking Shinde's party.

Chief Minister Affirms Unity

During a press conference on Friday, the Chief Minister reiterated that the BJP and Shiv Sena are united and do not need to formally announce their alliance. Earlier in the day, he stated, "The BJP and Shiv Sena are united. Everything is proceeding smoothly. We do not need to formally declare our alliance." The Mahayuti coalition has dominated the municipal council and panchayat elections in Maharashtra, which also includes Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Voting for these elections occurred in two phases on December 2 and December 20, with results announced by the Maharashtra State Election Commission.

Election Results Overview

In the recent elections, the BJP secured 117 positions for municipal chairpersons, while the Shiv Sena won 53. The NCP obtained 37, the Congress 28, Shiv Sena (UBT) nine, and NCP (SP) seven. According to the State Election Commission, five seats were won by independent candidates, and 28 seats were claimed by unrecognized registered parties.