Mahayuti Seat Sharing: Ritwik Bhalekar Reports On BJP-Sena Tussle For BMC Polls

In this exclusive report, India Today's Ritwik Bhalekar details the intensifying seat-sharing talks within the Mahayuti alliance ahead of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation elections. With nomination filings set to begin on December 23, the BJP and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) are negotiating for the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Bhalekar reveals that while the 'Shiv Sena has been offered nearly 50 to 55 seats' in the initial rounds, the Shinde faction is 'aiming for nothing less than 125 seats'. The BJP, targeting over 150 seats, seeks to retain its dominance in the civic body. The report also notes that Ajit Pawar's NCP may opt out of the Mumbai contest.