Nashik: While the grand alliance between the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) for the Nashik Municipal Corporation elections is confirmed, a consensus on seat-sharing has not yet been reached. The BJP, which is aiming for "100 plus" seats and considers itself the senior partner, has demanded 85 to 90 seats.
On the other hand, the Shiv Sena also wants 60 seats. The Shiv Sena has begun interviewing prospective candidates from Thursday, and discussions regarding the grand alliance are also likely to take place during this process.
The process of forming alliances and coalitions for the municipal elections has begun. After Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, and Shiv Sena's prominent leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde indicated that the Nashik Municipal Corporation election would be fought as a grand alliance, the alliance talks gained momentum.
Local BJP leaders, seeing the large number of prospective candidates, are demanding to contest independently, but senior leaders have indicated that the election will be fought as a grand alliance. Therefore, preparations for alliance discussions have now begun at the local level as well. It is said that the BJP has offered 32 seats to the Shiv Sena.
However, the Shiv Sena is demanding 60 seats. In the last election, Shiv Sena had 35 corporators. Therefore, the Shiv Sena's position is that they should get a respectable number of seats in the grand alliance. A Shiv Sena leader estimated that a compromise could be reached on at least 50 seats.
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has started interviews for prospective candidates from Thursday. These interviews will be conducted in the presence of Shiv Sena leaders. School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, MLA Suhas Kande, former MP Hemant Godse, Deputy Leaders Vijay Karanjkar, Ajay Boraste, MLC Kishor Darade, Contact Head Vilas Shinde, Jayant Sathe, Chandrakant Lavte, and Metropolitan Chief Praveen Tidme will be present.
Sources have indicated that discussions regarding the grand alliance are also likely to take place during this time. In Maharashtra politics, the question is being raised whether the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance is in jeopardy in Navi Mumbai and Thane. However, leaders are saying that the grand alliance is certain in Nashik. All eyes are now on the negotiations regarding seat-sharing.
