Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 12: Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan on Friday announced that the ruling Mahayuti partners — the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP — will contest the upcoming municipal corporation and local body elections together.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Chavan said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and he recently held a detailed meeting to outline the roadmap for the civic and zilla parishad polls. The BJP’s core committee also reviewed preparedness, he added.

Chavan clarified that despite allies clashing in the first phase and friction over BJP inducting some Sena leaders in Shinde’s Thane stronghold, senior leaders unanimously agreed on the need for a unified strategy.

He said municipal corporation elections are likely in January, while zilla parishad polls may be delayed due to the reservation issue pending before the High Court.

“Fadnavis and Shinde stressed the need for a structured mechanism to jointly plan the elections. All leaders agreed that the Mumbai civic polls and other major municipal elections must be fought as a united alliance,” Chavan said.

Committees will be formed at the party level to finalise seat-sharing. As suggested by Fadnavis, a panel of key office-bearers will oversee planning for the civic polls to ensure the alliance contests “positively and collectively”.

Chavan said he held a separate meeting with Shinde on Thursday night, where both leaders reaffirmed that elections in Mumbai and other cities should be fought together. All major decisions, including seat-sharing, will be taken collectively by Fadnavis, Shinde and Ajit Pawar, keeping “public interest and local conditions” in mind, he added.