Mumbai, Dec 16 (IANS) Ajit Pawar-led NCP said on Tuesday that it is in favour of contesting the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in the MahaYuti alliance by staking claim to over 50 seats.

However, NCP also hinted that NCP is prepared to fight all 227 seats going solo as it has already received applications from 180 aspirants.

NCP’s move is important, especially after it was not invited for the meeting held between BJP and Shiv Sena over poll strategy and seat sharing with a resolve to win 150 plus seats in the BMC elections.

NCP coordinator for BMC elections and former minister Nawab Malik today chaired a meeting with the office bearers and reviewed the poll preparations.

Although Malik did not speak to reporters, the party issued a release saying that NCP would like to be part of the MahaYuti alliance with a claim of over 50 seats.

Malik will hold a meeting to review district-wise poll preparations. The party in the release said that Malik will send a report to the party president, Ajit Pawar, about discussion over stitching an alliance with the BJP and Shiv Sena or going solo.

Malik will hold a meeting to review district-wise poll preparations.

“After becoming the chairman of the Election Management Committee, Nawab Malik has focused on the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and has started building a strong front by holding review meetings every Tuesday of the month,” said the release.

Earlier, the BJP and Shiv Sena on Tuesday held a meeting to discuss the alliance strategy and seat sharing for the BMC elections.

Maharashtra Minister of Cultural Affairs and BJP in charge of BMC elections, Ashish Shelar, after the meeting, announced that they have arrived at a seat-sharing formula with a view to winning 150 plus seats of the total 227 seats in BMC elections.

“We discussed winning 150 plus corporators in BMC elections while taking on board the Ramdas Athavale-led Republican Party of India. We will meet in two days to decide how many seats the BJP and Shiv Sena each will contest.”

Shelar hinted that there won’t be an alliance with NCP with former minister Nawab Malik as its coordinator for BMC elections.

NCP leader Shivajirao Nalawade met Shelar and argued that NCP would like to be a part of the MahaYuti alliance.

–IANS

sj/dan