Local bodies poll: BJP-Shiv Sena likely to have prepoll pact in Mumbai

In neighbouring Thane district, which is the home turf of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, the BJP will ascertain Shiv Sena strategy along with inputs from its own party unit.

Recently, Thane district BJP announced ‘Ab ki board 70 Paar’ which meant it would ensure an upper hand and have its own mayor. In Thane, BJP is setting a target of 70 plus out of 131.

However, insiders indicated that Mumbai and Thane will be interlinked and a decision will be taken by Central leadership after consultation with Mahayuti leaders collectively.

With Uddhav and Raj Thackeray joining hands, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS will emerge as a major block wooing Marathi vote bank which accounts to 30 to 35 per cent in Mumbai. The Marathi and Muslim become a sizeable vote bank which will be targeted by Thackeray brothers. If Maha Vikas Aghadi including Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, Congress and NCP (SP) unite as opposition, BJP will have to rely on Shiv Sena and NCP in Mumbai.

Since BJP knows that if it has to dislodge Shiv Sena (UBT) from BMC, it will have to maximise its electoral strength. A division of votes within ruling combine will prove disastrous. The Shiv Sena has used Mumbai to strike a bargain in Thane which is a prestige issue for Shinde. A Shiv Sena minister said, “To make alliance work, there has to be some give and take. If BJP accepts our upper hand in Thane, we will relent in Mumbai.”

With differences surfacing within ruling Mahayuti as each party wants to accommodate and expand its own organization through local bodies, a uniform alliance is being ruled out.

A senior BJP functionary requesting anonymity said, “One formula for all local bodies is not practical. Every district has different political dynamics. And BJP will have to evolve separate tactics for each. In Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad where NCP is assertive politically, BJP is unlikely to have a prepoll tact.”

Similarly, in Vidarbha and North Maharashtra region, where BJP is strong, it will contest alone. In Marathwada, which faced unprecedented floods and rain, BJP reckons it will have to double the efforts to retain its hold.

The upcoming local bodies elections are seen by BJP as an opportunity to expand its organisation to make deeper electoral inroads across Maharashtra. The local bodies elections are important to firm up its political foothold as the party has decided to work towards ‘shatpratishat’ (hundred percent BJP) strategy for 2029 Assembly polls.