Overview
- State Election Commission set polling for January 15 with counting on January 16 across 29 civic bodies, including Mumbai’s 227 wards.
- BJP–Shinde Sena negotiators say consensus is in place for about 200 BMC wards with 27 still under discussion as leaders manage ticket pressures.
- Talks between Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) and Ajit Pawar’s NCP for the Pune civic polls collapsed over symbol and seat-sharing, with NCP (SP) resuming MVA discussions.
- Ajit Pawar’s NCP is preparing to contest the BMC independently, with leaders indicating a plan around 60 seats and a final decision expected by December 30.
- Uddhav–Raj Thackeray seat-sharing talks remain unresolved in key pockets, the Congress says it will go solo in Mumbai, and AAP has named 36 candidates with plans to contest all wards.