Mumbai, Dec 23 (IANS) Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder Raj Thackeray will hold a joint press conference on Wednesday at noon to formally announce their alliance for the upcoming elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and several other civic bodies.
Polling for 29 municipal corporations is scheduled for January 15, with counting to take place on January 16.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut, in a post on X, informed, “Tomorrow, 12 pm.” While he did not specify the agenda, it is evident that the press conference will mark the formal coming together of the two parties to jointly take on the BJP in particular and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in general.
Earlier, Raut confirmed the “Manomilan” (union of hearts), stating that workers of both parties have wholeheartedly accepted the tie-up and have already begun working together on the ground.
“The ‘Manomilan’ happened the moment the two brothers came together against the imposition of Hindi from Grade One in schools across Maharashtra. The final touches were put on the seat-sharing arrangement last night,” Raut told reporters.
He added that while the alliance is a reality, a formal announcement regarding specific seat allocations would be made either late Tuesday night or Wednesday.
Raut revealed that the “Thackeray brothers” have reached a consensus, with the groundwork for the coalition now complete. He emphasised that coordination across multiple municipal bodies naturally takes time, but the core agreement has been finalised.
“The process of filing nominations for the municipal elections has begun. Our discussions regarding Nashik, Pune, Kalyan-Dombivli, and Mira-Bhayandar are complete. When dealing with so many corporations, it naturally takes some time. However, regarding the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), we must respect the sentiments of workers from both parties. Since alliances involve the exchange of certain seats, we are finalising those details. Candidate AB forms are already being distributed,” he said.
Clarifying further, Raut said the question was no longer whether the two parties would ally, but how seats would be divided. “The formal seat-sharing list is expected to be released by this evening or tomorrow morning,” he said, dismissing reports of internal friction. “We have come together from the heart.”
He reiterated that the alliance was effectively sealed when Uddhav and Raj Thackeray appeared together in July to oppose the state government’s decision to introduce Hindi along with Marathi and English from Grade One. “Instructions have been issued to party cadres, and there is no confusion among the workers regarding the alliance,” Raut added.
Raut also noted that discussions are ongoing with NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Jayant Patil to ensure coordination within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) framework. While formal talks with the Congress are currently “closed,” he congratulated the party on its recent success in local body polls and indicated that Shiv Sena (UBT) remains open to future cooperation if required.
Taking a swipe at the ruling Mahayuti, Raut asked, “Why hasn’t the alliance between Eknath Shinde and the BJP been finalised yet? Why hasn’t the Ajit Pawar-BJP alliance been announced?”
In contrast, he said the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance process was complete.
Meanwhile, in Sewri, a key consensus has reportedly been reached, with two seats allotted to the Shiv Sena (UBT) and one to the MNS. However, a tug-of-war continues over Ward No. 114 in Bhandup. Shiv Sena (UBT) sources said both Uddhav and Raj Thackeray are personally intervening to resolve the remaining differences. The overall seat-sharing formula for Mumbai is said to be nearly finalised.
Political observers say the reunion of the Thackeray brothers — though political — marks a significant turning point in Maharashtra politics. After years of operating separately, this strategic alliance is aimed at consolidating the Marathi vote bank and poses a direct challenge to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP.
–IANS
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