Overview
- The cousins formally announced their alliance on December 24 in Mumbai, saying the Sena (UBT)–MNS front will contest the January 15 civic polls in the BMC and other municipal bodies.
- They promised that Mumbai’s next mayor would be a Marathi leader from their alliance, framing the tie-up around Marathi identity.
- Detailed ward-wise seat sharing for the 227-member BMC was not disclosed, though media carried unconfirmed estimates of a provisional split.
- Congress leaders said the party will run on its own in Mumbai, and broader Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi coordination has frayed as local alliances shift across cities.
- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other Mahayuti leaders dismissed the pact as a survival move, and analysts questioned its potential impact against the ruling coalition’s organisational and financial advantages.