In a significant political development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena have been unable to finalize a seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. This impasse persists despite a fresh round of negotiations held on Sunday evening.
Talks Continue Amid Stalemate
Following the inconclusive Sunday meeting, leaders from both parties have scheduled further discussions for Thursday night. Shiv Sena district president Rajendra Janjal acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue, stating that reaching a consensus requires time. He expressed confidence, however, that an alliance in the city is inevitable as directed by the state leadership of both parties.
"Seat-sharing is a sensitive issue, and time is required to arrive at a consensus between both parties. As asked by the state leadership of both parties, undoubtedly there will be an alliance between BJP and Sena in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar," Janjal affirmed.
Internal Dissent and Vote Bank Concerns
A local BJP politician echoed the sentiment of alliance, emphasizing the shared goal of preventing a division of the Hindu vote bank in the upcoming civic polls. However, sources within the Shiv Sena reveal that the deadlock stems from disagreements over the number of seats to be allocated.
Some Sena politicians have pointed fingers at certain local BJP figures, alleging their reluctance to offer even 50% of the seats to the Sena. A senior Sena functionary labeled this stance as "unacceptable," confirming that active efforts are underway to break the current deadlock before the elections.
Political Landscape and Rival Campaigns
The political stakes are high, given the composition of the previous civic body. In the last term, the undivided Shiv Sena held the largest share with 29 of the 113 corporators. It was followed by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) with 25 and the BJP with 22 corporators.
Meanwhile, the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) faction is gearing up its campaign. Its leader, Aditya Thackeray, is set to kickstart the party's poll campaign in the city on Friday with a symbolic ‘mashaal' or torch rally aimed at taking on the ruling Mahayuti alliance. As a precursor to this major event, Sena (UBT) politician Ambadas Danve held a strategic meeting of party workers on Thursday to finalize all preparations.
High Voter and Candidate Interest
The election fervor is palpable among aspirants as well. In a strong indicator of the competitive landscape, over 3,000 nomination forms were sold in just the first two days of the process. This enthusiastic response underscores the high level of interest in the forthcoming municipal elections, setting the stage for a closely watched political contest in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
