BMC Elections: Will Thackeray Brothers Seal the Deal? Talks on Between Sena (UBT), MNS for Mumbai Civic Poll Alliance

Last-minute talks were underway Monday between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to finalise a possible alliance for next month’s high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Despite repeated claims by leaders from both sides that negotiations had ended, no formal announcement on an alliance has been made.Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut met MNS chief Raj Thackeray earlier in the day. Separately, senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar visited Matoshri, the residence of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, for discussions. Both Raut and Nandgaonkar are considered close aides for their party heads, reports PTI.Sources said negotiations have hit a hurdle over seat-sharing in key Mumbai areas where

both parties have strong influence, including Dadar, Sewree, Vikhroli and Bhandup.The nomination process for the BMC polls begins Tuesday and will continue until December 30. Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including Mumbai, are scheduled for January 15, with vote counting set for January 16.

What About Other Civic Bodies in Maharashtra? The alliance is expected to cover major civic bodies such as Mumbai, Thane, Mira-Bhayandar, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune and Nashik, among others. However, negotiations over Mumbai remain unresolved.The Shiv Sena (UBT) is led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, while the MNS is headed by his cousin Raj Thackeray.An MNS leader earlier said seat-sharing talks for all civic bodies except Mumbai have concluded, with disagreements persisting over seats in Marathi-dominated areas of the city. “The Shiv Sena (UBT) has not yet agreed to our demands, which has delayed the process. But talks must conclude soon as nominations begin next week,” the leader said, as quoted by PTI. The nomination window runs from December 23 to December 30.

MNS leader and former legislator Nitin Sardesai had said discussions were in the final stages, though the timing of a formal announcement remained uncertain. “All sides are making efforts to close the talks,” he told reporters.Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab recently met Raj Thackeray to discuss seat-sharing. A Sena (UBT) leader said there were no major hurdles left and an agreement was close.The Thackeray Brothers RiftRaj Thackeray quit the undivided Shiv Sena in 2005, blaming Uddhav Thackeray for his exit, and formed the MNS in 2006. The two have been political rivals since then.After both parties performed poorly in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, the Sena (UBT) winning 20 seats and the MNS none, the leaders decided to set aside differences and explore cooperation. In recent months, they have appeared together at several public events, publicly ending their two-decade-long estrangement at a joint rally in July.