BMC Elections: The Shiv Sena UBT is poised for a showdown with the Shinde faction across 69 seats, while the BJP is set to contest against the Thackeray faction on 97 seats.

Mumbai, Jan 3 (NationPress) - The intense contest for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has captured nationwide attention, as fierce rivalries among key political players become evident.

A direct battle is about to unfold between the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena over 69 seats. Concurrently, the BJP will face off against the Thackeray faction on 97 seats, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Shinde faction will contest 18 seats. With numerous direct confrontations, the BMC elections are gearing up to be highly competitive.

For the 227-member BMC, the Shiv Sena (UBT) is contesting 163 seats, the BJP is fielding candidates for 137 seats, the Shinde faction has 90, the MNS is putting forward candidates for 53, the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) is contesting 11, and the Congress is eyeing between 143 and 150 seats. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi is also in the fray for 46 seats.

While elections are slated for 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, the spotlight remains on the BMC, the largest civic body in the state, comprising 227 seats and approximately 1,700 candidates vying for them.

Historically, the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has maintained power in Mumbai for the past 25 years. However, the internal party division, the escalating influence of the BJP, and the growing population in Mumbai have significantly reshaped the political arena. Analysts predict that the upcoming election will be a tightly contested race.

With the nomination withdrawal process concluded on Friday, the final structure of the contests is clear. According to data from the State Election Commission, the Shiv Sena (UBT) is set for a direct contest with the Shinde faction on 69 seats and with the BJP on 97 seats.

Furthermore, the MNS and the Shinde faction are engaged in head-to-head contests over 18 seats, while the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) will face the BJP and the Shinde faction on five seats each.

In several civic bodies, such as Thane and Kalyan-Dombivli, unopposed candidates from the BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena have stirred political discourse. Reports indicate that MNS chief Raj Thackeray intends to highlight these unopposed victories and the circumstances surrounding them in his upcoming rallies.

Furthermore, it is believed that MNS leaders have provided Raj Thackeray with recordings, videos, and additional materials regarding these unopposed wins. Consequently, the MNS has adopted a confrontational stance on this issue during the current municipal elections.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)