Mahayuti Eyes Local Victory: Strategic Moves Ahead of PMC Polls

With Maharashtra's government in place, Mahayuti refocuses on local body elections. Shiv Sena demands Lok Sabha-like seat-sharing in Pune Municipal polls. Despite potential alliances, NCP considers a solo run, aiming for comprehensive participation.

Following the conclusion of Maharashtra's Assembly polls, the Mahayuti alliance is now gearing up for the local body elections. Shiv Sena, a major ally within the coalition, insists that the seat-sharing arrangement for these elections should replicate the framework used for Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls. They stress that distributions should reflect the candidate's strengths, ensuring that present incumbents maintain their seats.

Shiv Sena has initiated preparations for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, targeting several winnable seats. Ground-level operatives have been tasked with door-to-door visits, engaging with constituents and promoting awareness of governmental initiatives. The party is also evaluating potential candidates, aiming to secure 35-40 of the 162 available seats in the PMC, building on their previous 10-seat win in 2017.

Nana Bhangire, Chief of Shiv Sena Pune city, reaffirmed the strategy to align civic body election seat-sharing with previous larger polls and to consider candidates' merits. He highlighted that groundwork is underway, with a focus on collaborative engagement and voter education. Notably, some opposition members show interest in joining Shiv Sena, indicating a potentially strategic shift.

Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Ajit Pawar, is contemplating a solo run in the PMC elections, with party president Deepak Mankar expressing readiness for independent participation. Pawar has noted that while options for alliances exist, the NCP's objective is to contest every PMC seat, with the ultimate strategy to be decided by senior leadership.

(With inputs from agencies.)