The political landscape in Amravati remains clouded with uncertainty as negotiations for a pre-poll alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, and MLA Ravi Rana's Yuva Swabhiman Party for the upcoming municipal corporation elections have hit a significant roadblock. With polling for the 87 AMC seats scheduled for January 15, the failure to reach a consensus on seat distribution threatens to reshape the electoral contest.
Seat-Sharing Demands Deepen Deadlock
According to sources within the BJP, the core issue stalling the alliance is the Shiv Sena's demand for a larger share of seats. The BJP is said to have offered 12 seats to its potential ally, a proposal that was promptly rejected by the Sena camp. In contrast, Shiv Sena leader Jagdish Gupta stated that his party has demanded 35 seats, indicating a vast gap in expectations that has led to a deepening deadlock. This disagreement has persisted despite several high-level rounds of discussions.
High-Level Talks Yield No Breakthrough
Multiple negotiation meetings have failed to produce an agreement. Three days ago, a crucial meeting was held in Nagpur between BJP leaders Sanjay Kute, Jayant Dehankar, city president Nitin Dhande, and former MLC Pravin Pote, and Shiv Sena representatives including former MP Anandrao Adsul, Jagdish Gupta, Preeti Band, and Santosh Badre. This talk, like another round held on Friday, ended without a breakthrough.
The speculation around the alliance's collapse intensified on Sunday when some senior Shiv Sena leaders reportedly announced that the pact had fallen apart. A press conference was even scheduled to make an official announcement but was subsequently cancelled following instructions from the senior leadership, a move seen as an effort to prevent further escalation and keep talks alive.
Leadership Intervention Fails to Resolve Impasse
In a significant development, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reportedly intervened during his visit to Amravati on Saturday. He held discussions with BJP leader Tushar Bhartiya in an attempt to break the impasse. This was followed by a meeting of BJP leaders with guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule in Nagpur. Despite these top-level interventions from the BJP side, the stalemate continues, with no mutually acceptable formula for seat-sharing in sight.
The continued uncertainty leaves the political future of the Amravati Municipal Corporation hanging in the balance. With the election date fast approaching, all parties involved may now be forced to reconsider their strategies, potentially leading to a multi-cornered contest that could significantly alter the predicted outcomes for the civic polls.
