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Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse, MVA door ajar elsewhere

No question of joining hands with MNS: Congress

3 min readPuneUpdated: Dec 17, 2025 09:53 PM IST

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant. (Source: X/ PTI)

With talks between the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) failing to culminate into a fruitful alliance for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls on Wednesday, the Congress has decided to go solo for the civic polls in Mumbai but did not rule out a tie-up with the Sena (UBT) elsewhere—without the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)—if it plans to fight the local body polls under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) banner. Meanwhile, the NCP (SP) on Wednesday said it will probably remain in the MVA fold.

”Congress wants to go solo. The Congress leadership left the decision (on BMC polls) to its local leadership. We had discussions with the Congress leadership today (Wednesday)…Now our discussions have come to a stop,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesperson Sanjay Raut in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Responding to Raut’s statement, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, ”If the Sena (UBT) is joining hands with MNS, the Congress would fight the BMC polls alone.” Last month, Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad had announced that the party will go solo in the BMC polls and would not want to have any alliance with MNS.

The Congress said it cannot compromise on its ideology, principles and values. ”If we go with MNS, who will vote for us ? Will the North Indians, the Muslims, vote for us ? The ideology of MNS and Congress are different, we cannot have any alliance with them,” said Sawant.

The Congress spokesperson said the Sena (UBT) never communicated to them about its firm intention to go with the MNS. “Had the Sena (UBT) communicated this decision that they intend to fight the polls with the MNS, we would have allowed them to do so,” said Sawant. The Congress had 31 corporators before their term in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation expired in 2022.

However, the Congress said the alliance with the Sena (UBT) had broken off in Mumbai but not elsewhere. ”If the Sena wants to join MVA minus the MNS, then they can contest along with us in other civic bodies,” Sawant said.

Meanwhile, the NCP (S-P) said they would probably remain with the Maha Vikas Aghadi. ”We will remain with MVA but our decision would be announced by our Mumbai chief in a couple of days. So far, nothing is final,” said NCP (S-P) spokesperson Mahesh Tapase. He was responding to the comments made by Raut that the Sena (UBT) would taken along NCP (S-P) in their alliance with the MNS.

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Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshavardhan Sapkal has held discussions with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Dr Prakash Ambedkar for a possible alliance on Monday night, said sources in the Congress. The Congress has offered the VBA 20 per cent of the seats in BMC. The VBA has so far not conveyed its decision, said sources.

A Congress leader said in the Maharashtra Assembly elections held last year, out of the 200 seats VBA contested, its candidates lost in 194 seats. However, 20 Congress candidates had lost because of the VBA candidates.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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