Overview
- Mumbai BJP chief Amit Satam announced the Mahayuti pact for the BMC with the BJP contesting 137 wards and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena 90, with nominations due today.
- Ajit Pawar’s NCP is not part of the Mumbai tie-up and is running independently in the BMC, having named 64 candidates so far after releasing its first list earlier.
- The rival NCP groups led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar will jointly contest the Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune civic polls under a local understanding that leaders say is not a merger.
- Which symbol the joint NCP nominees will use remains unresolved, with the ‘clock’ and ‘trumpet’ camps yet to settle the issue.
- Elections for 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, are on January 15 with counting on January 16; withdrawals close on January 2.