In a late-night meeting on Monday (December 8), Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Shinde agreed that the ruling parties will contest these elections as part of the existing Mahayuti alliance, the sources noted.
The dates for the municipal corporation elections have yet to be revealed.
During the meeting attended by BJP leaders Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Ravindra Chavan in Nagpur, where the state legislature’s winter session is ongoing, it was also established that the BJP and Shiv Sena will avoid recruiting each other’s leaders and workers, they added.
“A constructive dialogue took place between leaders of both parties about jointly contesting municipal elections across Maharashtra, including Mumbai and Thane, as the Mahayuti alliance,” remarked a Shiv Sena leader.
Discussions on seat-sharing are set to begin at the local level in the next two to three days, another leader mentioned.
In a separate meeting on Monday (December 8), Shinde informed his party’s MLAs and ministers that the Mahayuti will present a united front in the municipal corporation and zilla parishad elections. He also encouraged them to adhere to “alliance dharma” and to avoid making statements or taking actions that could create discord within the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Sena, and NCP, sources indicated.
The first phase of the local body elections witnessed Mahayuti allies contesting against one another in several locations. In some instances, the campaign became quite intense, leading Shinde to address the matter with the top BJP leadership.
