The campaign for the crucial January 15 elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra has ripped open a fierce and public rivalry between ruling Mahayuti allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. While formally allied at the state level, the two partners are engaged in an open turf war on the ground, contesting separately in 15 corporations where they see a chance for solo victory.
Ambernath: A Coalition Betrayal and Political Chess
The depth of the discord was starkly revealed in the Ambernath Municipal Council elections held on December 20. In a move that sent shockwaves through the alliance, the local BJP unit forged an alliance with the Congress under the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi (AVA) to keep the Shiv Sena out of power. This coalition, which also included the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Independents, initially secured 32 seats in the 60-member body.
Facing backlash for partnering with a traditional rival, the BJP later broke ties with the Congress. However, in a swift political maneuver, the BJP welcomed 12 suspended Congress councillors to maintain its hold. The plot thickened when the Shiv Sena, which had 27 councillors, successfully wooed four NCP members, reaching the 31-seat majority mark and reducing the AVA's tally to 28.
Stung by the BJP's actions, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde called it a "betrayal of coalition dharma." While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis criticized the initial BJP-Congress pact, he raised no objection to the suspended councillors joining the BJP. State Minister Ashish Shelar defended the induction, questioning how the party could refuse new members.
Strategic Solo Plays and Accusations Fly
The friction extends beyond Ambernath. The two allies have decided to contest separately in 15 municipal corporations where the Opposition—comprising the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar's NCP(SP), and the MNS—is perceived as weaker. Key battlegrounds include Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Nashik, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
In Navi Mumbai, BJP leader and state minister Ganesh Naik ensured no pre-poll pact with the Shinde Sena. He launched a sharp attack, accusing Shinde's party of corruption in the misuse of Floor Space Index (FSI) and predicting, "In 2029, their place will be in prison." Even in Mumbai's BMC, despite an alliance, both parties have fielded candidates in Ward No. 173, with BJP workers using the Opposition's "50 khoke, ekdum OK" taunt against Shinde's MLAs.
The Bigger Picture: 2029 Ambitions and Local Control
Political observers see the BJP's aggressive push in local bodies, even against its ally, as part of a long-term strategy for the 2029 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The party believes achieving its goal of "shat pratishat" or full majority in Maharashtra is impossible without dominating the three-tiered local body structure.
Control over substantial local development funds is another critical factor. A senior BJP source highlighted that several hundred crores are earmarked for Ambernath's development, including an ancient Shiv temple. State Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the BJP's poll in-charge, stated the aim is an overall makeover of Maharashtra's civic bodies under CM Fadnavis's vision.
While leaders like Fadnavis and state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan downplay the tensions, emphasizing their alliance in Mumbai, Thane, and Kalyan-Dombivali, the cracks are evident. The Opposition has seized on the infighting. State Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal termed it "murky politics," while Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut warned Shinde would soon see the "real face of the BJP." The January 15 polls will be a crucial test of this strained partnership.
