Shiv Sena (UBT) might contest BMC polls by itself, says Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday hinted that his party might go solo in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election without exiting the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Talking to reporters, Raut said party workers were insisting the organisation go solo in the local body polls, as there were more aspirants than for the Lok Sabha or state assembly polls.

"Talks are on between Uddhav Thackeray and other party leaders (about whether to go solo) for the BMC polls. Workers want the party to contest the polls solo," he said.

The undivided Shiv Sena controlled the cash-rich BMC for 25 consecutive years from 1997 to 2022.

The term of the previous elected representatives of the BMC ended in early March 2022, and fresh polls are due for nearly three years now.

Raut said the party's power in Mumbai is undisputed.

"If had we got more seats to contest in Mumbai (during the assembly polls), it would have won them," he said, claiming that it was necessary to win Mumbai or else the city would be separated from Maharashtra.

The Shiv Sena contested 24 seats in Mumbai and won 10, while the Congress fielded candidates for 10 seats and bagged four, and the NCP (SP) contested two seats unsuccessfully.

"Even when the (undivided) Shiv Sena was (in an alliance) with the BJP, we contested the BMC and other civic body polls independently. We are trying to find ways to do it. The MVA will exist in the Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Nashik civic bodies," he said.

Last week, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said the Shiv Sena will contest the BMC polls, likely to be held next year, as part of the ruling Mahayuti.

The BMC polls will be contested as Mahayuti (alliance) in all 227 civic wards, said Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena.

The BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP are part of the Mahayuti alliance.