BMC polls: Shiv Sena, BJP pre-poll pact looks remote

Amid hard bargaining and war of words from both sides, Shiv Sena and BJP appear to be nowhere close to hammering out an alliance for the next month's BMC polls with indications they may go solo in their bid to capture the country's richest civic body.
Driving a hard bargain, BJP is demanding 114 of the 227 seats in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), but the Sena is in no mood to give more than 60 to it. The Sena is the senior partner in the alliance in BMC, but the BJP assumes that role when it comes to the state-level ruling coalition.

The saffron allies' tie-up negotiations for the February 21 polls have been marred by tough talks and trading of charges.
Not withstanding the cordial relations between BJP Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, their parties are not budging from their respective stands, making pre-poll pact a difficult proposition.
Sources in both the Sena and BJP today confirmed the talks have almost hit a dead-end and did not rule out the possibility of both parties fighting the Mumbai civic polls separately. If such a thing happens, it will be a re-run of the 2014 Assembly polls.
The Sena sources claimed "deliberate" attempts are being made from within the BJP to thwart any chance of a pre-poll alliance.

"The BJP deliberately put forth the demand for 114 seats which included 40 currently held by the Sena. This was never going to be acceptable to the Sena," a senior Sena Minister said, requesting anonymity.

"Even though the CM and Uddhavji enjoy cordial relations at personal level, a section within the BJP has continued to target the Sena President which is not unacceptable to the Shiv Sainiks," the Minister added.
He said the Sena has offered 60 seats to BJP, which is demanding a larger share on the basis of its electoral growth in the metropolis reflected in the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly poll results.

"We had deliberately given a list of seats which we know the Sena would not be willing to part with. This is because party cadres are firm against an alliance," said a senior BJP functionary.
Uddhav is likely to announce his action plan when he addresses party cadres on January 26. Party sources said Uddhav has already directed Sena cadres to be prepared to contest the BMC polls solo.
The Sena Minister said there may be one more round of talks, but no breakthrough is expected. However, there will not be any formal announcement of a break up.
"However, we will not engage in a bitter election campaigning against each other," he said.

(Reopens BOM21)
The Minister further said a pre-poll alliance is also unlikely in other nine Municipal Corporations and Zilla Parishad going to the polls.
He expressed optimism about the Sena, ruling the Mumbai civic body for more than two decades, winning more than 100 seats.