Chaitanya Marpakwar and Vishal Rajemahadik
Mumbai: Shinde Sena Courts BVA with MLC Offer
Having already roped in former MLA and Prahar Janshakti Party chief Bachchu Kadu by nominating him as an MLC, there was speculation on Tuesday that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena had reached out to Bahujan Vikas Aghadi's (BVA) former MLA Kshitij Thakur with the offer of a legislative council seat from the Thane local bodies' constituency. This offer is contingent upon the BVA merging with the Sena, similar to Kadu's party which recently merged with the Sena.
BVA chief Hitendra Thakur fueled the speculation by saying, "Aage aage dekho hota hai kya" (See what happens in the days to come) when asked about the chances of his party merging with Shinde's Sena for the MLC berth. At the same time, Thakur remarked that "horse trading" time is around the corner and added that the NCP (SP), Communists, and Independents were with the BVA for the council polls.
Current Seat Holder and Strategic Move
Currently, the Thane local bodies' seat is held by Sena's Ravindra Phatak. However, Shinde is looking to expand the party and is said to have rolled out an offer to the BVA chief's son Kshitij Thakur to replace Phatak. Kshitij, a three-time MLA from Nalasopara, would strengthen the Sena in the Vasai-Virar-Nalasopara belt, according to Sena functionaries.
The Sena is reportedly keen on the BVA merging with it, just like Kadu's Prahar Janshakti Party. However, if the merger does not materialize, Phatak will remain the Sena's candidate. Phatak also met Hitendra Thakur to seek votes for his election.
Shinde's Meeting with Amit Shah
Sena functionaries also revealed that Shinde met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed the ongoing tussle in the Mahayuti alliance over seat distribution for the MLC elections. Shinde had gone to Delhi last weekend on a private plane and met Shah on Sunday, according to Sena sources.
Electoral Context
Both Kshitij and Hitendra Thakur lost in the 2024 assembly polls to BJP candidates. The BVA, which earlier had three MLAs (in Nalasopara, Vasai, and Boisar), lost all three seats in the 2024 assembly elections to the BJP. Subsequently, the party's representation in the Vasai-Virar corporation dropped from 106 seats to 71 out of 115 in the 2026 elections. The BJP also made inroads in the Vasai-Virar civic elections, winning 43 seats, while the Sena secured only one.
Mahayuti Seat Sharing Formula
According to the preliminary Mahayuti formula for the MLC polls from local bodies, the BJP will get the largest chunk of 11 out of 17 seats, while the Shiv Sena and NCP will get three each. Polling will be held on June 18 for the 17 seats where MLCs will be elected by local body representatives across the state.
