With the deadline for filing nominations looming, the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra faces a significant crisis in Nagpur. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has finalized its candidate list for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections without formally agreeing on a seat-sharing arrangement with its key ally, the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. This last-minute impasse exposes deepening fractures within the coalition just days before the polls.
Seat-Sharing Standoff: From 50 Demands to a Mere 7 Offers
The core of the dispute lies in the number of seats the Shiv Sena will contest in the 151-member civic body. Initially, the Sena had staked a claim on 50 seats. Following strong resistance from the BJP, which dominates the NMC, the demand was first reduced to 27 and then scaled down further to 18 seats. However, the BJP has taken an even harder line.
A senior BJP leader involved in candidate selection revealed that the party is unwilling to offer more than 7 seats to its ally. "Out of these, 5 are almost finalized while talks are underway for the rest," the leader told sources. The BJP has also made it clear that no seats will be shared with the Mahayuti's third partner, the NCP faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
Frustration and Silence: Allies Left in the Dark
Shiv Sena leaders have expressed mounting frustration over being sidelined in the negotiation process. A senior Sena functionary involved in the talks stated that the party had received no formal communication from the BJP until Monday evening, despite the nomination deadline closing on Tuesday.
"We have been waiting for their invitation for a long time. We are ready to adjust seats, but at least they should invite us. This is unfortunate as the BJP has already declared their list for many prabhags (wards)," the leader said. This lack of dialogue underscores the severe strain in the partnership.
BJP's Dominance and Ambitious Targets
The BJP's uncompromising stance is rooted in its overwhelming strength in Nagpur's civic politics. In the last NMC elections, the BJP secured a record 108 seats. In contrast, the then-undivided Shiv Sena won only 2 seats, and the undivided NCP managed just 1.
The political landscape has shifted further since then. Following splits in both parties, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena currently has only one corporator, Mangala Gaware, in the NMC. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP has no representation at all. This weakened position of its allies, combined with the BJP's recent successes in local body elections across the region, has significantly bolstered the party's bargaining power.
Political observers note that the BJP has set an ambitious target of winning 120 seats in the upcoming polls. To achieve this goal, the party believes it needs to contest in at least 140 wards, leaving little room for accommodating allies.
Independent Paths and Possible New Alignments
With the BJP-Sena talks stalled and the NCP(Ajit) completely out of the seat-sharing equation, all three parties are charting independent courses. As reported earlier, the NCP(Ajit) is now prepared to contest all 151 seats on its own. There is also speculation about a potential understanding between the NCP(Ajit) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) if senior-level talks in Pune materialize.
As the nomination window closes, the scene is set for a fiercely contested election where the ruling alliance partners may end up fighting each other more vigorously than the opposition, reshaping Nagpur's political dynamics.
