During a late-night gathering on Monday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Shinde concluded that the ruling parties would run these elections under the current Mahayuti alliance, as per sources.
The schedule for the municipal corporation elections has not yet been revealed.
At the Nagpur meeting, which took place during the ongoing winter session of the state legislature, BJP leaders Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Ravindra Chavan were present, where it was also decided that the BJP and Shiv Sena will refrain from recruiting each other’s leaders and members, they added.
“A productive dialogue took place between the leadership of both parties concerning the joint participation in municipal elections throughout Maharashtra, notably in Mumbai and Thane, under the Mahayuti alliance,” stated a Shiv Sena representative.
Talks regarding seat-sharing are expected to commence at the local level within the next two to three days, mentioned another leader.
In a distinct meeting on Monday, Shinde informed the MLAs and ministers of his party that the Mahayuti will present a united front in both the municipal corporation and zilla parishad elections. He also urged them to adhere to the “alliance dharma” and to avoid any remarks or actions that could create discord within the Mahayuti coalition of BJP, Sena, and NCP, sources reported.
During the first phase of local body elections, there were instances of Mahayuti allies competing against each other in various regions. In certain cases, the campaign turned contentious, prompting Shinde to bring the matter to the attention of the BJP’s top leadership.
Sources suggest that the two parties have formulated a preliminary strategy for the municipal elections and will instruct their local officials to proceed with alliance discussions on the ground.
Conversations regarding the MahaYuti alliance are anticipated to accelerate at the local level as both parties strive to address disputes related to the municipal elections.
