Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena Poised To Contest BMC Elections Solo

Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is poised to snap ties with the Congress and go it alone for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. The decision follows survey reports submitted by observers appointed by the party for the 36 assembly constituencies to assess the ground situation.

Taking stock of the report was the main agenda of a review meeting called by the party chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence, Matoshree in Bandra (East) on Saturday. The report said in no uncertain terms that the Sena failed to put forward its core agenda of Hindutva owing alliance with the Congress leading to its dismal performance as it managed to win only 10 of the 24 seats it had contested in Mumbai - the city which was once under its firm political grip.

A discussion followed on contesting the elections to the BMC, the richest civic body in India with an annual budget of around Rs 60,000 Crore. The annual budget of the BMC is bigger than that of six or seven smaller states in India put together. The undivided Shiv Sena ruled the politically crucial civic body from 1997 to 2022 at a single stretch.

Endorsing the popular views among the Shiv Sainiks, the party MP Sanjay Raut said on Saturday that his party aimed to go solo in the BMC election without exiting the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). He pointed out that there have been more ticket aspirants than the Lok Sabha and the state assembly polls for the civic elections.

Statement Of MPCC Chief Nana Patole

Reacting to this development, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Nana Patole said the Congress, before contesting elections to the civic and local bodies would take its local unit into confidence and a decision would be taken thereafter.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has also begun preparing for the BMC elections. The Shiv Sena led by him held a meeting recently at Ramtek bungalow in Malabar Hill where the party MLAs, MPs, and excorporators of the BMC were present. The Sena will contest the elections as a part of the Mahayuti.