BJP–Shinde Sena Finalise Seat-Sharing For BMC Polls: BJP To Contest On 140, Shiv Sena Gets 87

The Bharatiya Janata Party and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena have agreed on a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation seat-sharing plan after several days of talks. Sources said the BJP will contest 140 wards, while the Shinde-led Sena will field candidates in 87 wards for the BMC elections.

The arrangement has been decided among Mahayuti partners and aims to project unity before voting. Internal discussions within the alliance reportedly focused on balancing strength in Mumbai, where the BMC elections are seen as a key test for both parties and their local leadership.

BMC elections seat-sharing and alliance chemistry

Before this final formula, BJP and Shinde Sena leaders held a series of long meetings over seat distribution. Reports had suggested unrest within the alliance, yet both parties publicly rejected those claims. According to sources, an agreement on 200 seats came first, with negotiations continuing over the remaining 27 seats.

Tension reports also prompted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to intervene earlier and support Shinde's Shiv Sena. Fadnavis had asked BJP leaders not to criticise the ally in public. While addressing journalists on Friday, Fadnavis again stressed the strength of the partnership and played down talk of rifts. "The BJP and Shiv Sena are united. Everything is going on smoothly. We do not need to formally announce an alliance," he said earlier in the day.

Mahayuti performance and BMC elections context

The seat-sharing decision for the BMC elections comes after Mahayuti's strong run in recent local polls in Maharashtra. The alliance, which also includes Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, performed well in municipal council and nagar panchayat elections. Voting for these bodies happened in two stages, on December 2 and December 20.

Results declared by the Maharashtra State Election Commission showed the BJP ahead of its partners in those local contests. The numbers for municipal president posts across the state were announced along with figures for other parties and independents. The detailed breakdown from the SEC is given below in tabular form for clarity.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation vote is scheduled for January 15, in line with other municipal corporations in Maharashtra. Counting of ballots is set for January 16, under the supervision of the Maharashtra State Election Commission. The pact between BJP and Shinde Sena is expected to shape campaign strategy across Mumbai's wards.

With seat-sharing settled and recent local poll results favouring Mahayuti partners, the alliance enters the BMC elections with a clear division of responsibilities. Leaders now shift focus from negotiations to campaigning, as parties attempt to convert organisational strength and earlier municipal gains into control of Mumbai's civic body.