Mumbai: Even though the election to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is almost 16 months away, Shiv Sena member of Parliament Sanjay Raut on Sunday said that the party, along with its ruling partners, the NCP and Congress, would contest the poll together. Raut said the Shiv Sena would retain power and lead the BMC.
“The ruling MVA in Maharashtra is here to stay,’’ said Raut. He was confident that it would win the BMC election slated for 2022.
“The Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi will contest the BMC elections and will win. In Mumbai, who else but the Shiv Sena will win. The MVA will stay in power permanently,’’ said Raut.
Raut’s statement comes ahead of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's customary Dussehra rally addresss. Since November last year, the Shiv Sena has been leading the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, after the party 'divorced' its ally of over 25 years, the BJP. Sena had alleged that the BJP had backstabbed it by failing to keep its promise of equal sharing of Chief Minister’s position.
Although Raut did not divulge details, his announcement is important, as already the NCP and the Congress, barring a section, have recently said they are in favour of contesting not just the BMC but elections to other civic bodies and zilla parishads as an alliance, with the sole goal being to defeat the BJP. Elections to Maharashtra's 10 municipal corporations, including the BMC, 27 zilla parishads and gram panchayats are due in 2022.
Further, Raut's announcement comes days after the Sena retained the chairmanship of Standing Committee and various others when the NCP, Congress and the Samajwadi Party supported the saffron party by withdrawing their nominees, to honour the coalition dharma.
At present, in the 227-strong BMC, the Shiv Sena has 97 corporators, the BJP 82, the Congress 30, the NCP 9, the Samajwadi Party 6, the AIMIM 2 and the MNS 1.
Don’t be surprised if Maha moves to Delhi
“From here on, everything would be Maha, Maha Aghadi, Maharashtra. Don’t be surprised if this Maha moves to Delhi. Last year, I had said that this year we will have a Shiv Sena CM and see, it has happened,’’ Raut said at the Dussehra rally.
The MVA government would complete its full five-year term and “We will continue for 25 years,’’ he averred.
