Seat War in Mahayuti: BJP Offers 90, Shinde Demands 112 For Mumbai Civic Polls

The Mahayuti alliance is locked in intense negotiations over seat-sharing for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, with the BJP significantly increasing its offer to Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena but still falling short of the latter's expectations. After an initial proposal of 52 seats to the Shinde faction, the BJP has now raised the offer to nearly 90 seats following a late-night meeting on December 22, 2025. However, Shinde, who had initially demanded 125 seats and later scaled back to 112, remains dissatisfied with the latest figure.

Sources indicate that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will hold another round of talks with Shinde in the coming days to try to bridge the gap. The BJP, however, is unlikely to concede much more, as it seeks to maintain its dominant position within the coalition while accommodating its allies. The BMC, which governs India's financial capital and boasts one of the highest municipal budgets in the country, has been under administrator rule since 2022 after the previous term ended without elections. The polls, now expected in early 2026, are seen as a high-stakes contest for control over Mumbai's civic governance.

The seat-sharing deadlock reflects deeper power dynamics within the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Shinde's faction has been pushing for a larger share of seats in Mumbai to consolidate its position after splitting from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena in 2022. The BJP, on the other hand, views Mumbai as a key stronghold and is cautious about ceding too many winnable seats to its junior partner.

Also Read: “No Alliance with Nawab Malik”: BJP Puts Mumbai Poll Unity at Risk

The prolonged haggling comes at a time when the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—comprising the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar-led NCP—has also been discussing its own seat-sharing formula. Reports suggest the MVA may face its own internal challenges, but the Mahayuti's public discord over BMC seats has drawn particular attention.

As negotiations continue, both sides are aware that a fair and acceptable formula is crucial to avoid any pre-poll friction that could benefit the opposition. The BMC elections, covering 227 wards, are expected to be fiercely contested, with civic issues such as infrastructure, flooding, waste management, and financial governance likely to dominate the campaign. The final seat-sharing agreement will play a decisive role in shaping the contest for control of Mumbai's civic body.

Also Read: RBI Unleashes Liquidity Boost With ₹2 Lakh Crore Bond Buys and $10 Billion Forex Swap