Civic polls: BJP, Shiv Sena alliance cracks in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Pune

The BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will contest the January 15 municipal corporation elections in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Pune independently after seat-sharing negotiations between the two Mahayuti allies broke down, triggering a war of words between leaders of the two parties.

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Shiv Sena MLA and cabinet minister Sanjay Shirsat blamed the collapse of the alliance on what he termed the BJP’s “arrogance” arising from its growing strength in the region. Shirsat said the Shiv Sena had consistently pushed for an alliance and that local voters also favoured a tie-up.

“However, some local BJP leaders deliberately broke the alliance. We feel bad that the tie-up has ended,” Shirsat told reporters. He alleged that despite discussions with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis resolving disputes over certain seats, the issues were later “deliberately revived”.

Claiming that the BJP continued negotiations while simultaneously preparing its own candidates, Shirsat said the Shiv Sena was kept “in the dark” to gain an advantage. He said the party has now asked all its candidates to file nomination papers and warned against any mud-slinging. “If attacked, we will respond in the same manner,” he said.

Rejecting the allegations, BJP minister Atul Save accused the Shiv Sena of repeatedly shifting its stand on seat-sharing. “Sena leaders sought seats from where BJP corporators have been winning consecutively. It was their arrogance that led to the break-up,” Save said.

He added that the BJP remained open to an alliance but said the Sena would have to take the initiative as only a few hours were left for filing nominations.

Rajya Sabha MP Bhagwat Karad echoed similar views, saying the BJP had been “gracious enough” to offer more seats to the Shiv Sena. “But their demands kept increasing. We could not proceed with an alliance over such unrealistic demands,” he said.

In Pune as well, the two parties have decided to go solo after talks failed to yield an agreement. Shiv Sena leader Nana Bhangire said the party opted to contest independently after the BJP offered only 16 seats. “The Sena will contest 165 seats in the Pune Municipal Corporation elections and all candidates will be given ‘AB’ forms,” he said.

Bhangire said the party had initially demanded at least 25 seats and made it clear that an alliance would not be possible unless seats were allotted “with dignity”. Local Sena leaders and workers had also complained that the BJP was offering seats that were difficult to win.

The BJP and Shiv Sena had earlier reached a seat-sharing agreement for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, deciding to contest 137 and 90 seats respectively.

Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Pune, will be held on January 15. Votes will be counted on January 16. The deadline for filing nominations is Tuesday, while January 2 is the last date for withdrawal and the final list of candidates will be published on January 3.

With PTI inputs