Mumbai, Dec 30 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wished the BJP-Shiv Sena candidates announced for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, saying the ruling Mahayuti alliance is confident that Mumbaikars will firmly stand behind it and elect all of them by a massive majority.

He said this late Monday night after the seat allocation for the BJP-Shiv Sena in Mumbai was finalised, with the BJP contesting 137 seats and Shiv Sena 90 seats. Other component parties of the Mahayuti will also be included in this.

In his post on X, the chief minister said, “Under the leadership of Hon Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, we are committed to the development of Mumbai. The people of Mumbai are well aware of who has undertaken the development works to make their lives easier. Therefore, we are confident that Mumbaikars will firmly stand behind the Mahayuti and elect all its candidates with a massive majority. Heartfelt best wishes to all candidates.”

Earlier, the seat-sharing formula was announced jointly by the Mumbai BJP chief Amit Satam and the Shiv Sena’s former MP Rahul Shewale. “Negotiations among the BJP, Shiv Sena and RPI over seat-sharing were completed today. There was consensus on 207 seats that was reached earlier. But today, the seat-sharing arrangement has been finalised. BJP will contest 137 seats and Shiv Sena 90 seats, while the allies of both parties will be given tickets from the respective quotas of BJP and Shiv Sena,” said Satam.

He further added, “They will conduct a joint campaign and hoist the Hindutva flag atop BMC by reaching out to the voters. With the blessings of the voters, the Mahayuti Mayor, who will be the Mayor of Mumbaikars, will assume the office after the elections.”

Satam reiterated that the allies of the BJP and Shiv Sena will be accommodated in the quotas of the two parties. Satam claimed that there has been no resentment over the ticket distribution as the party had made decisions by involving all.

“We have arrived at a consensus after holding minute discussions,” he noted.

The seat-sharing formula comes at a time when Uddhav and Raj Thackeray announced an alliance last week for BMC elections in a bid to checkmate the BJP-led Mahayuti. However, the BJP-led Mahayuti has downplayed the alliance between the two Thackeray cousins, claiming that they have joined hands for the sake of power while the Mahayuti is committed to Mumbai’s development.

Incidentally, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP is not a part of Mahayuti as it is contesting the BMC elections independently.

–IANS

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