Jalgaon Civic Polls: BJP Concedes Ground To Shiv Sena, Offers 25 seats Instead Of 15

Jalgaon: Until now, there were only speculations about the seat-sharing among the parties for the municipal corporation elections. However, after the municipal elections, the strength of the parties has become clear, and discussions regarding seat-sharing have taken place between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was kept out of these discussions.

Although the BJP has considerable strength in Jalgaon district and Jalgaon city, considering the seats won by the Shiv Sena in the municipal elections, the BJP seems to be somewhat on the back foot. The BJP, which was initially aiming to contest at least 55 out of 75 seats in the Jalgaon Municipal Corporation and was willing to give 15 seats to the Shiv Sena, has now shown readiness to give 25 seats after the municipal elections.

A meeting regarding seat-sharing took place between the leaders of BJP and Shiv Sena at a hotel in Jalgaon MIDC. However, the NCP (Ajit Pawar group) was kept away from these discussions. From the Shiv Sena, District Guardian Minister Gulabrao Patil, MLA Kishor Patil, and District Chief Vishnu Bhangale were present, while from the BJP, MLA Rajumama Bhole, MLA Mangesh Chavan, former Mayor Nitin Laddha, City President Deepak Suryavanshi, and Vishal Tripathi were present.

In the last election, the BJP had won 57 out of 75 seats and gained power, so they had tried to underestimate the Shiv Sena and keep more seats for themselves. However, after the municipal elections, they have acknowledged the increased strength of the Shiv Sena and preferred to take a step back.

Meanwhile, since it is a grand alliance, when the BJP discussed with the NCP (Ajit Pawar group), the NCP demanded 26 seats. Naturally, the BJP cannot give so many seats to the Ajit Pawar group. Therefore, although the final decision on seat-sharing has not yet been made, the NCP is talking about contesting independently.

On the other hand, even as the Thackeray alliance was being announced, the Mahayuti alliance immediately held meetings and announced their alliance for the municipal corporation elections. Guardian Minister Gulabrao Patil, while speaking to the media, stated that a meeting between BJP and Shiv Sena had taken place, and they would contest the municipal corporation elections together. However, he said that a final decision regarding seat sharing had not yet been made.

Although the Maha Vikas Aghadi did not achieve success in the district in the municipal elections, the Sharad Pawar group has started preparing for the municipal corporation elections. In the last election, not a single corporator from the Nationalist Congress Party was elected.

Now, the Sharad Pawar group is talking about contesting all the seats, and the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction has also declared its intention to contest all the seats. Against this backdrop, former NCP MLA Santosh Chaudhary, while speaking at a press conference, said that they would contest the elections by taking all the parties of the Maha Vikas Aghadi along with them.

On Wednesday, after the announcement of the alliance between the Thackeray brothers, the MNS celebrated in Jalgaon under the leadership of District President Jameel Deshpande.