Deadlock in MahaYuti over seat share, Shinde ups ante
MUMBAI: The deadlock within the Mahayuti alliance over seat-sharing for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections continues, with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena refusing to accept the BJPs offer of 50 seats against its demand for 8090 seats. The BMC has 227 seats. The BJP has proposed contesting 150 seats, offering 50 to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and allocating the remaining 27 seatsmostly from minority-dominated areasto the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Sources said Shinde has rejected the offer, arguing that he has around 100 eligible candidates, many of them former corporators from their respective wards. Shiv Sena is the main party in Mumbai; therefore, at least 80 to 90 seats should be given. If fewer seats are offered, it would be difficult to accommodate people who joined the Sena in the hope of getting candidature for the BMC elections, Shinde told the BJP leadership. He cautioned about bitterness, saying, These disgruntled candidates may return to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), and that can damage our prospects. Besides, it will also send the wrong message to Marathi voters, who are very crucial in BMC elections. However, the BJP has refused to budge. A highly placed source said that with Shinde firm on his demand for 90 seats, the BJPs top leadership decided to bring the Ajit Pawar-led NCP on board as an alliance partner for the BMC polls. We cannot afford to concede even 80 seats to Shiv Sena. We can offer 60 seats. If Shinde remains adamant, then we may ask him to contest separately. In that case, the 27 seats being demanded by Shiv Sena will be offered to the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, and the BJP will contest around 200 seats. Even with a 50 per cent strike rate, that would be enough to come to power in the BMC. But contesting fewer seats will not help the BJP at all, said a senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity.
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