Even though Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asserted that Shiv Sena remains a partner of the Mahayuti, and the Eknath Shinde party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are united, the two sides have failed to finalise the seat-sharing pact for the municipal corporation elections in the state for which the polling will be held in January next year, said sources on Saturday.
The bone contention for the two parties has been the Thane Municipal Corporation. The Thane Municipal Corporation, which has 131 seats, has generally been considered a bastion of the Shiv Sena and the party is willing to give only 25 to 30 seats to the BJP. However, the saffron party wants 40 to 45 seats, arguing that it has strengthened itself in Thane.
The two sides have also held multiple meetings in this regard, but after being unable to finalise the seat-sharing pact, the BJP and the Shinde Sena have started campaigning independently in Thane. Recently, BJP also put up a poster in Thane, with 'Namo Bharat, Namo Thane' written on it. The poster also featured Prime Minister Narendra Modi but none of Sena's leaders, drawing ire from the party.
Something similar is also happening in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has 227 seats. Following multiple meetings, BJP and Shiv Sena have finalised an agreement for 200 seats but have been unable to seal a deal for the remaining 27 seats. It is expected that the two sides will hold more meetings to finalise the seat-sharing pact for the 27 seats.
Fadnavis' 'we're united' message
Though the BJP and the Shiv Sena have failed to reach a consensus, Fadnavis has said that the two parties are united and advised the leaders of the saffron party not to criticise Shinde's party. He also mocked the alliance of Thackeray brothers and said Uddhav Thackeray's real face is out in front of everyone.
"There is a resolve to form a Mahayuti government in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and make the slogan 'Darkness will fade, the sun will rise, and the lotus will bloom' a reality," he said on Friday. "This election is being fought with the aim of establishing transparent and honest governance in the civic body."
Elections to the municipal corporations in Maharashtra will be held on January 15. The results will be declared on January 16.
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