Mumbai: Congress leaders met Sharad Pawar and leaders of his NCP (SP) to debate a potential alliance for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC) elections, regardless of the get together’s intention of contesting the polls solo.

Congress sources instructed ThePrint that the delegation put up a proposal for a proper alliance since NCP (SP) is “their pure alliance companion”.

The assembly was attended by Mumbai Congress chief and Member of Parliament (MP) Varsha Gaikwad, together with Congress MLAs from Mumbai—Amin Patel, Aslam Shaikh, and Jyoti Gaikwad, and NCP (SP) MP from Baramati Supriya Sule.

“Each these events are democratic and consider within the Structure, and really quickly a choice on this shall be taken,” Gaikwad instructed the media.

Congress sources instructed ThePrint that they don’t wish to align with Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena

(MNS) for a number of causes, together with ideological variations and seat-sharing.

“If we go along with Sena UBT, who’s trying to ally with MNS, we is not going to get seats to contest. In addition to, we don’t see any profit or vote switch of their votes into our kitty. So why ought to we half with our vote financial institution (Muslims)?,” a senior Congress chief instructed ThePrint.

The NCP (SP) can also be contemplating an alliance with Sena (UBT), an integral a part of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).  “It appears that evidently Congress approached NCP as a result of they don’t need NCP to ally with Sena UBT and MNS. Additionally, NCP (SP) doesn’t have a lot base in Mumbai. So Congress may give them some seats, which doesn’t stay the case with an alliance with Sena UBT and MNS,” mentioned political analyst Pratap Asbe. 

The BMC, or the Municipal Company of Higher Mumbai, is the governing civic physique of Mumbai, with elections anticipated to be carried out in January 2026. In 2017, out of 227 seats, the Congress nabbed 31, whereas the Bhartiya Janata Occasion (BJP) acquired 82 seats. The then-undivided Shiv Sena, which had dominated the BMC for 25 years, acquired 84 seats.

Following splits inside each the Shiv Sena and the NCP, this would be the first native physique election the place all factions contest individually.

Uddhav Thackeray is presently in talks with cousin Raj for a potential alliance within the BMC polls, though a proper announcement is but to be made. Occasion functionaries within the NCP (SP) instructed ThePrint that the NCP will take a name as soon as the election date is introduced. 

“We’re part of MVA, and ideally, we needed MVA to contest collectively. However now, since Congress goes solo, our senior get together leaders will take a remaining name with whom to ally,” an NCP (SP) functionary instructed ThePrint.

Gaikwad instructed the media that Mumbai elections must be fought on the problems of Mumbai and never on any caste, language, or faith. 

A number of months again, Sanjay Raut (Sena UBT) had mentioned his intention of going solo. If Uddhav and Raj Thackeray come collectively, it is a welcome step, but it surely has not been mentioned with Congress. In addition to, we consider that the get together ought to battle elections with like-minded folks and never those that attempt to divide residents of assorted traces,” Gaikwad mentioned.

(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)

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