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According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the BJP and Shiv Sena have broadly agreed on around 150 seats so far
Sources indicated that while the party remains optimistic about a smooth seat-sharing agreement with the BJP, Shinde has instructed the leadership not to leave anything to chance. (File image: PTI)
Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has put a clear backup plan in place for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, scheduled for January 2026, amid ongoing seat-sharing talks with the BJP, sources have told News18. While the Shinde-led Shiv Sena has formally demanded 125 seats in the alliance negotiations, the BJP’s initial proposal reportedly offered only 50-60 seats. Although both parties remain keen to contest the civic elections together as part of the Mahayuti alliance, sources said the Shiv Sena has begun preparations to contest all 227 BMC seats if talks were to break down at a later stage.
As part of this preparedness, the party on Tuesday conducted interviews for candidates across all 227 wards in Mumbai. According to Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale, nearly 2,700 aspirants appeared for the interview process held in the city. He said the exercise was aimed at identifying strong and winnable candidates in every possible ward, irrespective of the final seat-sharing outcome.
“Shiv Sena will contest the BMC elections as a Mahayuti partner, but our focus is on fielding the best possible candidates. That is why interviews were conducted across all wards. Three observers were also appointed to ensure a smooth and transparent process,” Shewale said. He added that the response to Shiv Sena’s interviews was significantly stronger compared to other parties conducting similar exercises in Mumbai. “This response reflects the work done by Eknath Shinde during his tenure as Chief Minister,” he said.
Party insiders said that several aspirants who appeared for the interviews had previously been associated with other parties, including the NCP, MNS, and Congress. This will be the first BMC election for the Shinde faction after the split in Shiv Sena, making the civic polls a crucial test of its organisational strength and grassroots appeal.
Sources indicated that while the party remains optimistic about a smooth seat-sharing agreement with the BJP, Shinde has instructed the leadership not to leave anything to chance. “If talks fail for any reason, the party should be fully prepared to go solo and contest all 227 seats,” a senior functionary said.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the two allies have broadly agreed on around 150 seats so far, using candidate win-ability as the primary criterion. Discussions on the remaining 77 seats are expected to take place in the next round of talks.
December 19, 2025, 00:47 IST
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