Overview

• Leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena describe an alliance for civic elections in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Nashik and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar as nearly certain.
• The parties have already teamed up on the BEST credit society’s Utkarsh panel, which comprises 18 Sena (UBT) members, two MNS members and one SC/ST representative.
• Final approval for the alliance rests with MNS president Raj Thackeray, who has remained publicly cautious despite growing grassroots pressure since the July 5 joint rally.
• Both parties suffered heavy losses in last year’s state assembly polls—Shiv Sena (UBT) won 20 seats and the MNS drew a blank—prompting leaders to seek collaboration to rebuild their cadres.
• Party chiefs plan to defer formal seat-sharing talks until just before the municipal elections to manage ticket contests and counter anticipated BJP tactics.