Mumbai: The split between the oldest allies in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation — the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — has created a fluid situation in city politics this election season. At a time when candidates have started filing nominations, it’s not just corporators who are hopping over to other parties; political parties, too, are still discussing and deciding on new partners.
With talks still under way, many parties are choosing to hold their cards close to their chest.
The most anticipated development after the Sena-BJP fallout was a patch-up between the estranged Thackeray cousins. The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) did send emissaries to the Sena, but with Uddhav Thackeray flatly refusing the offer, it remains to be seen if the MNS will be left alone this election.
The BJP is going ahead with an alliance with its other partners in the State government: the Republican Party of India (Athawale), Mahadev Jankar’s Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP) and Vinayak Mete’s Shiv Sangram Party (SSP). “Talks are still on and a formal announcement on the exact number of seats should be made soon. They are already our alliance partners in the State, and the alliance shall continue in the city,” said Ashish Shelar, city president of the BJP.
According to RPI (A) national secretary Avinash Mahatekar, the party has submitted a list of 65 seats to the BJP. “We expect to get 40-45 seats,” Mr. Mahatekar said.
With the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)parting ways as well, both are in talks with smaller parties to forge new tie-ups.
While sources had said that Uttar Pradesh allies Congress and Samajwadi Party were likely to come together in Mumbai as well, city Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam said it was too late for it. “Had they sent the proposal earlier, we could have considered. I can’t get my candidates to back out at this stage,” Mr. Nirupam said.
The Samajwadi Party had a different take. “We were waiting for the Congress to talk with us, but did not get any feelers from them. We have already drafted a list of 60 candidates to contest independently,” said Rais Shaikh, the party’s secretary in Mumbai.
The NCP is in talks with smaller parties. “We have already announced our 102 candidates.We were in touch with like-minded parties like the Left parties and Prakash Ambedkar’s Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) through Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP). In the event the talks don’t pan out, we may also consider putting up friendly fights, where we may not necessarily field candidates, but will offer support to candidates of other parties,” city NCP president Sachin Ahir said.
Sukumar Damle, secretary of the Communist Party of India’s city unit, said, “The CPI, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and BBM have joined hands as part of the Left Democratic Front. While the Left parties will contest 40 seats, the BBM is likely to contest 61 seats.” The LDF finalised its candidates on Tuesday.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is fighting solo and will concentrate on a few seats in specific areas where they expect to do well. “We have already announced 34 candidates, four of whom are Hindu. This reflects our secularism. We intend to contest 50-60 seats,” Waris Pathan of the AIMIM said.
The last day to file nominations is February 3.
