Overview
- The BJP and Eknath Shinde–led Shiv Sena confirmed a 137–90 seat-sharing formula for Mumbai’s 227-seat BMC, with BJP also taking all wards in Vile Parle and Bandra West and six of seven in Borivli.
- Seat-sharing talks collapsed in numerous municipal corporations, with the BJP and Shinde Sena set to contest separately in cities such as Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nashik, Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
- Ajit Pawar’s NCP opted to run separately in Mumbai’s BMC race, while RPI(A) chief Ramdas Athawale alleged exclusion from talks and moved to field candidates in about 50 wards.
- Raj Thackeray’s MNS released 53 BMC candidates under a tie-up with Shiv Sena (UBT), as the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) listed 11 Mumbai seats after heavy defections eroded its local bench.
- On-the-ground flashpoints marked the final filing day, including a vehicle chase over BJP ticket forms in Nashik, protests and a self-immolation attempt in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Thane office vandalism, a last-minute Jalgaon pact (BJP 46, Shinde 23, NCP 6) and a BJP solo run in Latur’s 70 seats.