A significant political alliance has been cemented in Maharashtra's Thane district ahead of the crucial Kalyan–Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections. The Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party under Sharad Pawar's leadership (NCP-SP), and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) have successfully negotiated and finalised their seat-sharing formula, setting the stage for a joint contest.
The Seat-Sharing Breakdown
Under the agreed-upon pact, the Congress party will contest 55 seats in the upcoming civic polls. Its ally, the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), will fight from 45 seats. The third partner in this coalition, Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), has been allotted 12 seats. Interestingly, the three-party combine has decided to keep 10 seats in reserve, for which candidate selection is still pending and discussions are ongoing.
Alliance Dynamics and the Mumbai Model Effect
This finalisation comes after a notable shift in local alliance politics. Initially, the Congress had engaged in discussions with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) for the KDMC elections. However, in a move mirroring the strategy adopted for Mumbai's civic polls, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chose to ally with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) instead. This decision effectively created a distance between the Sena (UBT) and the Congress at the local body level.
In the wake of this development, the Congress swiftly moved to consolidate an alternative front. It deepened its collaboration with the NCP (SP) and brought the VBA on board, culminating in the three-party alliance that is now officially in place. The partners are operating under the banner of the Mahavikas Aghadi for these elections.
Candidate Rollout and Confidence in Victory
Following the formalisation of the seat-sharing arrangement, the alliance machinery has swung into action. Since late evening, the three parties have begun distributing AB forms to their confirmed candidates. This marks the practical start of their joint campaign.
Despite the formula being locked, sources indicate that around 10 constituencies remain where suitable candidates have not yet been identified. Negotiations are actively underway among the allies to find strong nominees for these seats.
Expressing strong confidence in the coalition's prospects, Congress Kalyan district president Rajabhau Patkar stated that the Mahavikas Aghadi would contest the KDMC elections with full strength. He went a step further, claiming that the Mayor of the Kalyan–Dombivli Municipal Corporation will be elected from their alliance, signalling their ambition to secure control of the civic body.
The finalisation of this pact sets up a direct contest with the opposing alliance of Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS, making the upcoming KDMC elections a keenly watched political battle in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
