Overview
- At a joint press conference in Mumbai, Raj Thackeray declared the Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance and pledged that the next Mumbai mayor will be Marathi and from their camp.
- Uddhav Thackeray said seat-sharing for Mumbai, Nashik and other civic bodies has been finalised, though the formula was not disclosed.
- The State Election Commission has scheduled voting for 29 municipal corporations, including the BMC, on January 15 with counting on January 16.
- BJP-led Mahayuti leaders, including Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Shaina NC, dismissed the reunion as opportunistic and predicted little impact.
- Analysts flagged steep hurdles for the reunited Thackerays, citing a weakened ground network, resource deficits and a consolidated BJP–Shinde vote bank, even as the tie-up could curb past vote-splitting where MNS had pockets of strength.