The resounding victory of the Mahyuti alliance in recent municipal council and nagar panchayat elections has injected fresh confidence into the BJP camp, even as uncertainty over seat-sharing and alliances continues ahead of the crucial Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections. The BJP is eyeing a fourth consecutive term in the civic body, while the Congress hopes to regain lost public support. However, both major parties remain divided over alliance compulsions.
Despite the Mahyuti’s success, BJP leaders and workers are not enthusiastic about contesting the NMC polls in an alliance format. The Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) has reportedly demanded 50 seats, while the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) has sought 25 seats, putting the BJP leadership in a tight spot. With the nomination process set to begin on December 23, the BJP faces a critical decision. Having won 108 seats in the last NMC election, the party has now set an ambitious target of 120 seats, making alliance negotiations even more complex.
On the other side, the Congress is keen on improving its seat tally compared to the previous election. The party may adopt a cautious approach after mixed results in recent local body polls. This has raised hopes for the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), both of which are pushing strongly for an alliance. The Uddhav faction has demanded 30 seats, while the Sharad Pawar group is seeking 25 seats. Congress had won 29 seats last time and leaders admit that staying away from the NCP earlier cost them nearly 10 seats.
Political churn is already visible. With nominations approaching, party switching has begun. Former Congress corporator Darshani Dhawad joined the BJP on Sunday in the presence of Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Dhawad, elected earlier from Ward No. 12, had not applied for a Congress ticket this time.
As attention now shifts squarely to the NMC polls, it is clear that while Mahyuti’s victory has provided momentum, alliance equations remain the biggest political challenge in Nagpur.
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