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4d ago

BMC Battle Enters Crunch Week: BJP–Shinde Talks Stall as Thackeray Tie-Up Lacks Formula and New Solo Bids Surge

Seat-sharing deadlocks are forcing parties to lock in solo strategies before the Dec 30 nomination deadline.

Mumbai, India. Dec 26, 2025 - Prashant Jagtap, President of the Pune National Congress Party (NCP), Sharad Pawar faction, and former Mayor of Pune, joined the Congress party in the presence of Maharashtra State Congress President Harshwardhan Sakpal, Congress leader Viajay Wadattiwar, and other leaders at Tilak Bhavan in Mumbai, India. Dec 26, 2025. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Raju Shinde)
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iMumbai, India - December 26, 2025: Ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Mumbai Congress president and MP Varsha Gaikwad, along with party leaders, releases a chargesheet against the ruling party while showing garbage-choked Mithi River during a live demonstration at Bharat Nagar near BKC in Mumbai, India, on Friday, December 26, 2025. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)
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Overview

  • Seat-sharing negotiations between the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena are stuck for the BMC, with leaders holding back any formula as the Jan 15 poll nears and nominations close Dec 30.
  • The Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance announced on Dec 24 has yet to reveal a seat split, with reports of internal lobbying over Marathi-heavy wards and no formal formula disclosed.
  • Talks between Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) and Ajit Pawar’s NCP for a Pune civic alliance have collapsed, and NCP (SP) has resumed seat-sharing discussions with MVA partners.
  • Ajit Pawar’s NCP is preparing to contest the BMC on its own, with leaders indicating plans for roughly 60 candidates and a final decision expected by Dec 30.
  • The Aam Aadmi Party says it will fight all 227 Mumbai wards, has released a second candidate list and named national leaders as star campaigners, while the Samajwadi Party issued its first list for an independent run.