BMC Elections: Mahayuti finalises seat-sharing; BJP to contest 137, Shiv Sena 90

Mumbai: The Grand Alliance on Monday decided the distribution of seats for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. According to the agreement, BJP will contest elections on 137 seats, while Shiv Sena will field candidates on 90 seats. This decision came a day before the last date of nomination.

Who announced this agreement?

Mumbai BJP President Amit Satam gave information about seat distribution. According to him, negotiations between the partners have been completed and coordination has been reached. Both the parties will also give some seats to their allies from their respective quotas. After receiving the AB form, candidates will file nomination on Tuesday.

Who is fighting separately in the alliance now?

Ajit Pawar's NCP, which is part of the grand alliance, is contesting the BMC elections separately this time. NCP has declared 64 candidates so far. This decision came when there were reports some time ago that there was a hindrance in seat distribution.

What was the dispute between BJP and Shiv Sena?

Shiv Sena was demanding 100 seats, while BJP was ready to give around 75 seats. After several rounds of talks remained inconclusive, confusion remained in the alliance. This also affected the seat distribution of other municipal corporations.

Was this controversy limited to Mumbai only?

Mumbai was the main issue, but its impact was visible on the equation of many corporations, including Nashik, Pune, and Thane. However, finally an agreement was reached, and the election campaign strategy is now being made jointly.

What does Mahayuti's previous victory mean?

In the recently held Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections, Mahayuti had won 207 out of 288 president posts. BJP got 117 posts, the Shinde faction got 53, and NCP (Ajit Pawar) got 37 posts. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) lagged far behind and could not win back the public trust.

Why are BMC elections important?

Mumbai Corporation is the largest municipal body in the country, and its budget is considered bigger than that of many states. For this reason, this election becomes very important for BJP-Shiv Sena in terms of credibility of power, control over resources, and future politics. Elections will be held on January 15, and the results will come the next day.