BJP, Mahayuti alliance unveil strategy for Maharashtra local body polls; Congress to go it alone

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has indicated that the saffron alliance will fight elections as an alliance in four municipal corporations-Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Vasai-Virar, and Panvel. In other places, the BJP is likely to go on its own.

As the countdown for civic elections in Maharashtra begins, all parties are preparing to achieve their best possible results by working out permutations and combinations. The ruling Mahayuti or the saffron alliance will fight as an alliance in Mumbai as it faces a strong challenge from MVA allies, who are likely to be joined by Raj Thackeray's MNS. In Kalyan-Dombivali, Vasai-Virar, and Panvel also the saffron alliance will fight as one united force.

In places like Thane, Pune, and Pimpri Chinchwad, the BJP will have to give more seats to its allies like Shinde Sena, which has a very strong hold in Thane. Similarly, Ajit Pawar's NCP is very strong in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. So if an alliance happens here, it will be led by Shinde Sena in Thane and Ajit Pawar's NCP in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. But mostly the BJP will contest these corporations on its own. In Nagpur, too BJP plans to contest on its own as it is hoping for a clean sweep in the elections.

On the other hand, within MVA, there is a strong speculation that Congress wants to contest BMC elections on its own, as it does not want to ally with Raj Thackeray's MNS. On the other hand, Shiv Sena UBT and MNS are most likely to form an alliance to fight in the Mumbai municipal elections.

Sanjay Raut, senior Shiv Sena UBT leader, has appealed to the Congress to rethink its position and said that if Congress wants to defeat the BJP-led forces from taking over Mumbai, then fighting elections as the MVA alliance is the only option.

India