Political heat is rising in Mumbai over the seat-sharing for the BMC elections. An official announcement of the alliance between MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, scheduled for December 24, is expected soon. Both leaders will address a joint press conference to outline their shared strategy for the BMC elections.
Following this news, discussions regarding seat distribution in Mumbai's non-Marathi and Marathi-dominated areas have intensified political circles. The December 24 announcement is being seen as a move that will determine the direction and fate of the BMC elections.
What's Take On Seat Sharing?
There's almost a consensus on the BMC seat formula between Shiv Sena UBT and MNS, but discussions are still ongoing for some areas with a significant non-Marathi population. The final decision on how many seats each party will get in areas like Ghatkopar, Kandivali, Borivali, and Mulund is still pending.
As per the proposed formula, there's an agreement to allocate 145 to 150 seats to UBT Sena, 65 to 70 seats to MNS, and 10 to 12 seats to NCP (SP). UBT Sena has left 12 to 15 existing seats for MNS, most of whose former corporators have now joined the Shinde Sena.
Strategy Before Announcement
On one hand, a crucial meeting of the Mahayuti (BJP and Shiv Sena) is set to take place at the Chief Minister's official residence, 'Varsha' bungalow. This meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, will see the participation of prominent leaders like BJP State President Ravindra Chavan, Ashish Shelar, and Uday Samant. It is believed that the final decision on Mumbai's seats will be sealed tonight.
On the other hand, discussions regarding the alliance between Uddhav Thackeray (UBT) and Raj Thackeray (MNS) are ongoing at 'Matoshree'. Although a joint press conference by both leaders was expected on December 23, sources suggest that Raj Thackeray believes there should be no haste in the announcement until a consensus is reached on all seats. With the nomination process set to begin tomorrow, there remains suspense over the MNS and UBT alliance.
It is noteworthy that the Maharashtra State Election Commission has announced the election schedule for 29 municipal corporations. Voting will take place in a single phase on January 15, 2026, while the counting of votes will be done on January 16, 2026. In this context, the December 24 announcement is being considered a turning point for the BMC elections.