Mumbai, Dec 18 (IANS) The ruling Mahayuti has reached a consensus on seat-sharing in over 150 of the 227 wards of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with discussions on the remaining 77 seats expected to be completed within the next two to three days, Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam said on Thursday.

He, however, clarified that there would be no alliance with the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which has appointed former minister Nawab Malik as coordinator for the BMC elections.

Malik is currently out on bail in a money laundering case.

“We have arrived at a consensus on more than 150 seats. Talks on the remaining 77 seats are ongoing and will be concluded soon. The final decision on these seats will be taken with the concurrence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde,” Satam said while addressing a joint press conference with Industries Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant.

Satam said the objective of the seat-sharing formula was to provide a corruption-free civic administration in Mumbai. “It is not important who contests how many seats. The Mahayuti will contest all 227 wards and win more than 150 seats, ensuring that a Mahayuti mayor is elected,” he said, asserting that the BJP, Shiv Sena and Republican Party of India (RPI) were committed to fulfilling the aspirations of Mumbaikars.

Taking a scathing dig at the opposition, Satam alleged that those who had “ruled the BMC for 25 years indulged in corruption and sold Mumbai”, and said any attempts to change the city’s character for electoral gains would be defeated. He also ruled out any association with the NCP led by Nawab Malik, citing “serious allegations” against him.

Echoing similar views, Minister Samant said consensus had been reached on 150 seats, while deliberations would continue on the remaining 77. “More than the number of seats, it is important that the Mahayuti moves forward united. If there are differences on some of the remaining seats, the decision will be taken by Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde,” he said.

Samant asserted that the alliance would not break over seat-sharing or any other issue and reiterated the Mahayuti’s claim of winning over 150 seats in the BMC elections to realise what he described as the “dream of Mumbaikars”.

The announcement by Satam and Samant on the seat-sharing arrangement is significant, as the BJP and its allies have launched “Mission BMC” to unfurl the saffron flag atop the civic body and end the 25-year rule of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

–IANS

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