Maharashtra has witnessed some of the most unexpected twists and turns in politics over the past three years, with leaders suddenly switching sides. Now, just a couple of months ahead of the crucial civic polls season in the state — where most of Maharashtra’s 27 municipal corporations and about 32 district councils across 36 districts will go to elections — political leaders are testing the waters for new seat-sharing alliances.
One might soon see Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena drawing closer to Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Mumbai, and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Thane. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a dual approach: it has decided to enter seat-sharing talks with Eknath Shinde’s faction of Shiv Sena in Mumbai, but has opted to fight independently in Thane.
The situation in cities like Pune and Nashik remains undecided as local leaders are uncertain about how aspirants will react if sudden decisions are made regarding candidature approvals or denials.
### Thackeray Cousins: Possible Reunion?
Just a couple of days ago, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray visited Uddhav Thackeray’s residence in Bandra, spending over two hours discussing various political possibilities. The buzz is that the two cousins feel they may only sustain their influence in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) if they agree on some form of seat-sharing deal, effectively reuniting after nearly 20 years as separate political forces.
### BJP’s Seat-Sharing Calculus
The BJP leadership is continuously holding meetings with its city, district, and tehsil-level leaders across Maharashtra to decide on seat-sharing strategies with current alliance partners.
Recent reports suggest that the BJP is leaning towards contesting the Mumbai city and suburbs as part of the Mahayuti alliance, allocating a significant number of seats to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction and some to Ajit Pawar’s NCP. However, the party remains divided over its approach in Thane and Navi Mumbai.
Several BJP leaders, including party MLA Sanjay Kelkar, have voiced their preference for contesting alone in Thane, citing changed political equations there.
### The Thane Political Landscape
Thane offers a compelling case study of rapid political shifts. Historically, Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena had a stronghold over the Thane Municipal Corporation. But since the 2012 municipal polls, BJP’s influence in the city has grown steadily. In 2023, Eknath Shinde broke away from Uddhav Thackeray to align with the BJP, reshaping the political dynamics.
Today, Eknath Shinde, the BJP, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP all hold significant presence in Thane.
Questions loom large: Will the BJP fight alone in Thane? Will Uddhav Thackeray forge an alliance with leaders like Jitendra Awhad? Will the Congress continue within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) fold in the city? The final decision will depend on how political equations evolve in the coming weeks.
### Impact of Floods in Marathwada and Southern Maharashtra
Beyond urban politics, recent heavy floods in the Marathwada region and parts of southern Maharashtra, particularly Solapur district, have added a new dimension to the political scenario. The area experienced thrice the normal rainfall in September, devastating kharif crops, farmland, villages, and livestock.
The state government is currently contemplating relief measures for affected farmers. However, many observers feel that the government may struggle to fully meet the large-scale demands of farmers, potentially turning this into a significant political issue influencing the district council or zilla parishad polls.
### Alliances: Staying Intact or Breaking Apart?
Given the agrarian distress and potential anti-incumbency mood among rural voters, the ruling Mahayuti alliance partners might decide to stay united during the district council polls—as they did in the assembly elections—to better manage rural resentment.
This unfolding situation could lead to a unique political pattern: for the first time in Maharashtra’s history, alliances might remain intact in some regions such as Mumbai and remote districts like Beed and Nanded, while simultaneously breaking apart in urban centers like Thane and Pune.
—
**About the Author:**
Rohit Chandavarkar is a senior journalist with over 31 years of experience working with leading newspapers and television channels in Mumbai and Pune.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/maharashtra-civic-polls-2025-shifting-alliances-ahead-as-thackeray-cousins-explore-reunion-bjp-plans-mixed-strategy-across-cities
