BMC Elections 2026: Ramdas Athawale says RPI will contest 38 seats alone, accuses BJP of 'betrayal of trust'

Mumbai:

Union Minister and Republican Party of India chief Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday announced that his party will contest 38 seats independently in the upcoming BMC elections, accusing the BJP of sidelining the RPI during the seat-sharing process. Speaking on the issue with news agency ANI, Athawale said, "We were not given seats in many cities, like Nagpur, Amravati, and also Aurangabad... Not a single seat was given to us in Nalasopara. The RPI got one seat in Bhiwandi. Not a single seat was given in Kalyan-Dombivli. So, the BJP has tried to ignore the RPI in many places. The BJP wants to expand its own party, but it needs to consider our party as well... That's why there is a lot of anger among Republican Party workers, and the BJP leaders need to consider this. We will contest amicably in 38 places, and in Mumbai, we have broken the alliance with the BJP and Shiv Sena. We are contesting the elections in Mumbai on our own strength." 

The announcement comes amid growing friction within the Mahayuti alliance, as the RPI expressed dissatisfaction over its seat allocation in Maharashtra’s major cities.

Athawale alleges breach of trust in seat sharing

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Athawale further alleged that despite standing firmly with the Mahayuti alliance since its inception, the RPI was marginalised in the seat-sharing discussions.

"A meeting scheduled for discussions at 4 pm on Monday was not honoured by alliance partners. This was not merely a waste of time but an affront to the dignity of our party at a crucial moment, with the BMC elections just around the corner. I will not tolerate any humiliation of party workers."

He emphasised that the party would support any decision taken by its workers, hinting at possible discontent within the alliance ranks.

BJP-Shiv Sena seat-sharing

The announcement comes a day after the Mahayuti finalised its seat-sharing formula for the BMC elections. Under the agreement, the BJP will contest 137 of the 227 seats, while Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, will field candidates in 90 wards.

The State Election Commission of Maharashtra has announced the schedule for the BMC elections 2026. Voting across all 227 civic seats will be held on January 15, 2026, with counting and results declaration scheduled for January 16, 2026.