Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj in Mumbai on Thursday, and the two leaders held a detailed discussion on a possible seat-sharing plan for the upcoming municipal council and nagar panchayat elections in the state.
Uddhav visited Shivtirth, Raj’s residence in Dadar in central Mumbai. This was the latest in a series of meetings this year between the cousins who were once politically estranged yet have steadily moved towards reconciliation. Their recent interactions have strengthened speculation of a formal alliance between the Shiv Sena UBT and the MNS for the civic polls.
Focus on seat sharing and strategy for major civic bodies
According to sources, the cousins held a one-to-one meeting that lasted nearly ninety minutes. They discussed the strategy for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election and also went into detail on potential seat distribution. The discussions also covered possible tie ups for other major civic bodies including Thane, Nashik, Kalyan Dombivli and Sambhajinagar, where both parties have pockets of influence.
Concerns over voters list irregularities
A Shiv Sena UBT leader said the two leaders also spoke about alleged irregularities in the draft voters list, an issue the opposition has been raising strongly. Earlier this week, both Uddhav and Raj jointly submitted a letter to the State Election Commission requesting more time to file objections and suggestions regarding the draft rolls.
Congress resistance a factor in alliance talks
The discussions reportedly touched on resistance from Congress, which is reluctant to accept the MNS as part of a broader opposition formation. The Shiv Sena UBT is a key partner in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alongside the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party SP. While the MNS has worked with the opposition on certain issues, especially voter roll discrepancies, it is not yet a member of the MVA.
Maharashtra civic body polls
Maharashtra will hold rural and urban local body elections next month. Polls for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats will be held on December 2. These will be followed by elections to 336 Panchayat Samitis, 32 Zilla Parishads and 29 municipal corporations, however the poll dates have not been announce yet. The entire process is expected to be completed by January 31.
Also read: Clash between BJP, Shinde Sena intensifies ahead of Maharashtra local body polls
