"Mahayuti to contest BMC polls together": Chandrashekhar Bawankule

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], November 18 (ANI): Putting speculations to rest, Maharashtra Minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Tuesday that the BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP in the Mahayuti alliance will contest the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in the state together.
Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Bawankule said that the alliance aims to secure two-thirds wards and a 51 per cent vote share in the BMC polls.
"In the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, Mahayuti will contest together. Our aim is to secure two-thirds of the seats and 51 per cent of the vote share to form the government in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation," the BJP leader said.
Further, he said that the BJP expects party workers contesting the local body polls independently to withdraw their nomination forms.
He said, "We expect that all the independent BJP workers who are contesting the Municipal Council elections as independent candidates will withdraw their nomination forms before the final deadline for withdrawal. Since only one person can be given the AB form at a particular seat, the rest should not feel disappointed and should instead work for the victory of the party's official candidate."
"Our appeal is receiving a positive response, and we are confident that many will withdraw their candidature. Since the elections are being held after seven or eight years, everyone naturally expects a ticket. However, most candidates will make the appropriate decision within the withdrawal period," Bawankule added.
The polling for the elections for the posts of members and direct president of 246 Municipal Councils and 42 Nagar Panchayats, a total of 288, in the state will be held on December 2. The counting of votes will be held on December 3.
The model code of conduct has come into effect in the jurisdiction of all these Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats on November 4, as announced by State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare at a press conference.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Raju Waghmare expressed confidence in Mahayuti's victory in the upcoming elections, citing the NDA's landslide win in the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls.
"I think no one can stand before Mahayuti. Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which claims its mayor will be elected, is dreaming. They should see what happened to them in Bihar. They can keep dreaming, because the mayor will be of Mahayuti," the Shiv Sena leader told ANI.
According to a press release by the Maharashtra Election Commission, the filing of nomination papers began on November 10, with the last date of nominations November 17.
November 21 is the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers in places where there is no appeal, while the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers in places where there is an appeal is November 25.
Mahayuti will face a contest from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP). Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is likely to contest elections alongside the Shiv Sena (UBT) in some of the Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats. (ANI)