Shiv Sena (UBT) Considers Going Solo for BMC Elections Amid MVA’s Decline

After the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) lackluster performance in the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has hinted at the possibility of contesting the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections independently.

Speaking to PTI, Raut said, “Talks are on between Uddhav Thackeray and other party leaders about whether to go solo for the BMC polls. Workers want the party to contest the polls solo.”

Raut expressed confidence in Shiv Sena (UBT)’s influence in Mumbai, asserting that the party’s base in the city remains strong. “If we had more seats to contest in Mumbai during the assembly polls, we would have won them,” he added. Raut also highlighted the strategic importance of securing Mumbai, emphasizing, “Winning Mumbai is crucial; otherwise, the city could be separated from Maharashtra.”

Historically, Shiv Sena has contested BMC and other civic body polls independently, even before its split with the BJP. However, Raut clarified that the MVA alliance would remain intact for the civic body elections in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and Nashik.

The remarks come in response to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s announcement that the ruling Mahayuti alliance—comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), and NCP—will contest the BMC elections as a united front.

About the BMC Elections

The upcoming BMC elections hold immense significance, as the term of the previously elected representatives ended in March 2022. Since then, India’s richest municipal corporation has been functioning without elected representatives for nearly three years, including the COVID-19 period.

Shiv Sena, before its split, had controlled the BMC for an impressive 25 years, from 1997 to 2022. Whether the Shiv Sena (UBT) contests independently or as part of the MVA will significantly impact the political landscape of Mumbai.