Shiv Sena, BJP may contest BMC polls without tie-up

Talks between BJP and Shiv Sena for a tie-up in Mumbai are all but over. Save a last-minute breakthrough early on Thursday, prospects of a saffron alliance for the BMC elections appear to have vanished.

A senior BJP leader said it was too late to salvage the talks now. “Although the Sena would be ready to leave 90-95 seats for us, the dispute would then continue over the wards they wish to contest.”

Since filing of nominations begins on January 27 and goes on till February 3, it leaves the two sides with little time to make adjustments regarding selection of candidates across the 227 wards in the city.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray may either make the announcement or set a 24-hour deadline for BJP on Republic Day at Goregaon when he addresses a rally. Though both Thackeray and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis remain in favour of a pre-poll tie-up, the rank and file on both sides are clearly not keen to make major concessions to accommodate each other.

According to a Sena leader, the decision either way will have a bearing on nine other municipal corporations in the state as well. “If the alliance could not be stitched up in Mumbai, the chances of going it together in the remaining nine corporations and 25 zilla parishad elections in the state are slim,” said a Sena leader