Elective merit key factor in seats allocation for BMC polls: Eknath Shinde

Elective merit will be a key factor in deciding seats for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde has said.

Addressing shakha pramukhs (branch heads) of Shiv Sena on Sunday, Shinde also said the collective victory of Mahayuti is more important than the number of seats allotted to each constituent of the alliance in the BMC elections.

He said due respect will be given to the Sena during a seat-sharing agreement of Mahayuti.

The Mahayuti comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

"It is not important as to who gets how many seats. What is important is the elective merit, which will be the key in deciding the seats," Shinde said.

He said the Sena is holding Lok Sabha constituency-wise meetings ahead of the civic polls, expected to be conducted by the end of January 2026.

While shakha pramukhs, the crucial cogs in Shiv Sena, are well aware of the nature of work, they should hold a dialogue with people to understand their issues, Shinde said.

The saffron flag will unfurl on the BMC, the deputy CM asserted.

He asked the Sena cadres to spread awareness among the masses about the work done by the previous government headed by him from 2022 to 2024 and the contribution of the Mahayuti government under the incumbent Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The people of Mumbai prefer those who work, the Sena leader said.

Taking potshots at the Opposition, Shinde said they blame the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the judiciary, and the Election Commission after losing elections.