Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut launched a scathing critique against the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state leadership and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, questioning the need for national figures to campaign in Mumbai's civic elections. He also delivered a sharp rebuke to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction over its seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls.
Raut Questions 'Outsider' Leaders in Local Fray
Addressing a press conference, the Rajya Sabha MP took aim at plans for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to campaign for the local body elections. "Why are PM Modi and UP CM Yogi planning to campaign for local polls? Is the Maharashtra BJP and their Chief Minister incapable?" Raut asked pointedly.
He argued that bringing leaders from other states would only spoil the political atmosphere in Maharashtra. "Somebody said in Mumbai only the 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan would work. I say here only 'Jai Maharashtra, Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji' will work," Raut asserted, emphasizing regional identity. He interpreted the reliance on external figures as a sign of weakness from the ruling alliance.
Seat-Sharing Deal Draws 'Shameful' Allegation
Raut reserved some of his harshest comments for the seat-sharing agreement finalized on Monday between the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which is part of the ruling 'Mahayuti' alliance. Under the deal, the BJP will contest 137 seats while Shinde's faction will fight on 90 seats in the crucial BMC elections.
The UBT leader contrasted this with the historical stance of the undivided Shiv Sena. "In the last 60 years, Shiv Sena has never bowed down to anyone and compromised in Mumbai, but Eknath Shinde's faction has gone to Amit Shah; this is shameful," he stated. He alleged that while the Shiv Sena traditionally gave seats to its ally, the situation had now reversed, with Shinde's group accepting seats allotted by the BJP. "This is a misfortune for Marathi people," Raut concluded.
Political Alliances Take Shape Ahead of Polls
The political landscape is crystallizing as the election date approaches. In contrast to the Mahayuti, the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) has allied with Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and is slated to contest approximately 140 seats. Raut also indicated a potential alliance with the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) or NCP-SCP.
This has revived the "son of the soil" narrative, underscored by the reunion of the Thackeray brothers, Uddhav and Raj, for the polls. Meanwhile, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP released its second list of 27 candidates on Monday.
Voting for elections across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad, is scheduled for January 15, with the counting of votes set for January 16. The BMC polls are seen as a critical mid-term test for the state's political alliances.
