Mahayuti allies to go solo in some local bodies in MMR

BJP devises the strategy to quell rebellion in the ranks ahead of local body polls and corner Opposition

MUMBAI: In the forthcoming local body elections, in order to avoid rebellion within the ranks of the ruling Mahayuti alliance partners, it has been decided that the combine will fight together in some of the nine municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), while in some others, the allies will go solo. This was revealed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, at an informal chat with journalists over lunch at his official residence Varsha.

The BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP are likely to contest independently in certain civic bodies that are their strongholds. (ANI)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena are expected to contest together in Panvel, Vasai-Virar and Kalyan-Dombivali civic bodies, while the parties may operate independently in Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mira-Bhayandar, said Fadnavis. It however remains unclear whether Sena or BJP will fight the polls in an alliance or separately in Bhiwandi and Ulhasnagar.

Twenty nine municipal corporations in the state are expected to go to the polls in January next year, in which the three ruling parties will participate in “friendly fights”.

Since the time the Mahayuti 2.0 came into power last year, all three alliance partners have been busy inducting local leaders from other parties, to fortify their positions. People in the know told HT that BJP has conveyed to its two alliance partners – Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) -- that it will not have an alliance to fight the municipal corporations of Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nagpur and Mira-Bhayandar, where BJP is strong. NCP follows a close second in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Fadnavis added that this is an acceptable strategy during local body polls where “decision regarding alliances are taken on the basis of local political situation”.

“In the past as well, despite sharing power in the state and the Centre, we contested separately in Mumbai, Thane and some other cities. In Thane and Navi Mumbai as Shiv Sena and BJP have a stronghold, working in alliance would lead to rebellion,” said the chief minister. With this statement, Fadnavis put to rest BJP’s ambition to make inroads into Thane, evidenced by its Navi Mumbai minister Ganesh Naik holding janta durbars to court the electorate, considered deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s bastion.

“We have left the decision on the Thane civic body to Eknath Shinde,” said Fadnavis.

A BJP leader said, “It would be difficult to fight the elections together in an alliance in Thane, as both BJP and Sena are strong; and retaining the civic body is a matter of prestige for Shinde.” He added, there is a fear that aspirants from both parties may defect to Opposition parties if denied tickets. “In such a case, going solo would be in favour of both the parties. Likewise, in the case of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad where BJP and NCP have similar strength,” said the leader.

BJP insiders said, since the Thackeray brothers are aligning for the elections in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), it would be in their advantage “to face them as a Mahayuti combine”. In BMC BJP is expected to concede 60 to 70 seats to Shiv Sena, and 10 to NCP and Ramdas Athawale’s Republican Party of India (RPI). The party is resolved to win over 120 seats in the civic body by contesting 155 to 160 seats. BMC holds 227 seats.

Transport minister Pratap Sarnaik (Shiv Sena) said, “Our leader has asked us to follow the Mahayuti alliance; specific decisions will be taken as per local conditions.”

Fadnavis backs SIR in Maharashtra

In the meeting at his official residence on Wednesday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis advocated a special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Maharashtra and criticised the Opposition for opposing it.

“We also want correction in electoral rolls – we want SIR to be conducted in Maharashtra. However, on the one hand, the Opposition parties demand correction in the electoral rolls while on the other, opposes SIR,” said Fadnavis. He added, while the Opposition is raising questions over the electoral rolls, they are unsure about their performance in the forthcoming election.

He added that the BJP will come up with the details of anomalies in voter lists in the constituencies of Opposition parties and how it helped them win the Assembly election. “They speak about bogus and duplicate voters – none of that is true. We are preparing data to show how Opposition leaders in some constituencies have benefited due to these repeated voters in Assembly polls held last year,” said Fadnavis.