In Latest News from Maharashtra politics, the fight over seat sharing for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election is becoming more intense. The dispute is happening inside the ruling Mahayuti alliance, mainly between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The BJP has now offered more seats to Shinde’s party than before, but the offer is still far below what the Shiv Sena faction wants. Because of this, talks are still ongoing and no final decision has been taken yet. This political drama has become part of today’s Breaking News and Daily news highlights, as Mumbai prepares for a crucial civic election.
BJP Raises Offer, But Disagreement Continues
At the first meeting of the Mahayuti alliance, the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) demanded 125 seats in the BMC elections. This demand was based on the party’s belief that it has a strong presence in Mumbai and deserves a major share.
However, the BJP initially surprised its ally by offering only 52 seats. This large gap created tension inside the alliance and led to several rounds of negotiations.
After a late-night meeting on Monday, BJP leaders improved their proposal and raised the offer to nearly 90 seats, according to sources. While this is a big jump from the earlier offer, it is still much lower than what Shinde is asking for. Shinde has now reduced his demand slightly to 112 seats, but he is still not satisfied.
More Talks Planned With Devendra Fadnavis
To break the deadlock, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to hold another round of discussions with Eknath Shinde. Senior leaders believe that more meetings are needed to reach a middle ground that keeps the alliance together.
Sources say the BJP is not willing to increase its offer much further. The party feels confident after its strong performance in recent local body elections across the state. Because of these results, BJP leaders believe they deserve a larger share of seats in Mumbai as well.
BJP’s Confidence After Strong Local Poll Results
The BJP’s tough stand is linked to its success in the recent statewide local elections. The party emerged as the single largest force, winning 117 municipal president posts.
In comparison, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena won 53 posts, while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Ajit Pawar secured 37. These numbers have strengthened the BJP’s argument that it should lead seat sharing talks and not give in easily.
Ajit Pawar’s NCP Adds Another Layer of Uncertainty
Another major question is whether Ajit Pawar’s NCP will officially join the Mahayuti alliance in the BMC elections. If the NCP enters the alliance, the entire seat-sharing formula may have to be rewritten from scratch.
Senior NCP leader Sunil Tatkare confirmed that no final call has been taken yet. He said Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel were in Mumbai and discussions were ongoing. He also confirmed talks with the Chief Minister and BJP Mumbai chief Aashish Shelar.
This uncertainty is making the negotiations even more complex, as every party wants to protect its political space in Mumbai.
Nawab Malik Becomes a Major Roadblock
One of the biggest hurdles in bringing the NCP fully into the alliance is the issue of senior leader Nawab Malik. Malik is facing several serious corruption cases, including money laundering allegations linked to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
The BJP has made it very clear that it does not want Malik to be part of the Mahayuti alliance. Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam openly said that the alliance cannot continue if Malik is included.
On the other hand, Ajit Pawar is believed to be standing firmly behind Malik, which is causing friction. BJP sources say that if the NCP wants to join the alliance in Mumbai, it must project a new face and agree to contest only 10 to 14 seats.
BMC Elections Just Weeks Away
The countdown to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections has already begun. Voting is scheduled for January 15, and counting will take place the very next day.
A total of 2,869 municipal seats will be contested across Mumbai, including 227 key BMC seats. These elections are seen as extremely important because the BMC is India’s richest civic body and controls a massive budget.
