A serious internal rift has erupted within the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, following the BJP's offer of just 16 seats for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections. The local unit of the party openly rebelled, declaring the alliance with the BJP nearly over, only for senior state leaders to later assert that the pre-poll pact remains firmly intact.
Local Rebellion Over "Disrespectful" Seat Offer
The controversy ignited after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared its candidates for the PMC polls, slated for January 15, 2025, offering a mere 16 out of the total 165 seats to its alliance partner, the Shiv Sena. This move was immediately rejected by the Sena's Pune leadership as unacceptable and disrespectful.
Expressing deep dissatisfaction, Shiv Sena leader Ajay Bhosale stated that the party was upset with the BJP's treatment and that the seat-sharing formula was untenable. Echoing this sentiment, the party's city unit chief, Nana Bhangire, went a step further, announcing that "the alliance with BJP in Pune is almost over." The local leaders were particularly agitated because the BJP announced candidates in constituencies where the Sena had hoped to contest, offering seats perceived as unwinnable.
State Leadership Scrambles to Control Damage
As the revolt threatened to derail the alliance, senior Shiv Sena minister Uday Samat rushed to Pune to placate the angry cadre. Samat held discussions with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol to resolve the impasse. He attributed the crisis to a "misunderstanding" and assured that the alliance with the BJP was still operational.
"The pre-poll alliance with the BJP remains intact as contrary to statements made by local leaders that it is as good as over," Samat clarified. He explained that with civic polls for 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra happening simultaneously, senior leaders could not finalize seat-sharing for all bodies immediately but would find a solution in the coming days.
Strategic Moves and Historical Context
Adding a layer of complexity to the dispute is the political history of the last PMC election. In the 2017 civic polls, the undivided Shiv Sena had won 10 seats. However, in a significant shift, seven of these former Sena corporators have since switched allegiance to the BJP, which has now fielded them as its candidates. This poaching of local leaders has fueled resentment within the Sena ranks.
Amid the uncertainty, the Shiv Sena has taken a pragmatic approach by distributing official candidature letters to approximately 100 of its aspirants in Pune. However, as leader Vijay Shivtare revealed, these candidates have been instructed that they might have to withdraw if the top leadership directs them to do so after final negotiations with the BJP. The final candidate list will be determined by the relative strength of the contenders from each alliance partner.
The political maneuvering extended beyond the BJP, with Shiv Sena's Ravindra Dhangekar meeting Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar to explore a potential alliance. Pawar has reportedly asked for time to revert on the proposal, keeping all options open for the Shinde faction.
Road Ahead for the Wobbly Alliance
With the deadline for withdrawal of nominations just three days away, the pressure is mounting on the state leadership of both the BJP and the Shiv Sena to arrive at an amicable seat-sharing formula. While the local Sena unit has declared its readiness to contest all seats independently, the central command is working overtime to preserve the alliance that forms the bedrock of the state government.
The outcome of these hectic parleys will not only decide the fate of the alliance in Pune but could also set a precedent for seat-sharing in other municipal corporations going to the polls. The results for all civic elections will be declared on January 16, 2025.
