"Hopeful that deadlock will be resolved soon": Maharashtra CM Fadnavis on Mahayuti's seat sharing ahead of BMC elections

Fadnavis asserted that the alliance for the BMC elections will definitely happen, denying any obstacles within it.

"Very positive discussions are underway regarding seat-sharing (within Mahayuti alliance). I am hopeful that this deadlock will be resolved soon. The alliance will definitely happen, and there will be no obstacles whatsoever," CM Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis' remarks come in the backdrop of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's alliance for the BMC elections.

Earlier this month, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the Mahayuti alliance will contest the upcoming elections together at both local and state levels, highlighting that the government's development work over the past three-and-a-half years will be the foundation of their campaign.

"We will contest as Mahayuti at both the local and senior levels. In the past three and a half years, we've carried out several development projects and presented them before the people. We will fight this election on the strength of development and our agenda of progress. The public is wise," Shinde said to the media.

Earlier this week, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS supremo Raj Thackeray announced their alliance ahead of the upcoming BMC elections. This political reunion of the Thackeray brothers, who had been estranged for years, ahead of the forthcoming polls, has evoked strong reactions in the political sphere.

Reacting to these developments, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and his party have shown their true character by allying with groups involved in anti-national and harmful activities just to gain votes, and warned that the public would respond strongly.

Speaking to the reporters, Devendra Fadnavis said, "The true face and character of Uddhav Thackeray and his army 'UBT' has been revealed by those who handed over the state to them in their greed for power. If they ally (in coalition) with people who engage in anti-national, anti-religion, anti-humanity activities just for the policy of appeasing votes, then the public will give them a befitting response."

The State Election Commission in Maharashtra has announced elections in 29 municipal corporations across the state, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Polling will be held on January 15, with counting scheduled for January 16.

Also, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar met senior Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Azam Pansare in Pimpri-Chinchwad on December 26, ahead of the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation elections.

Following the meeting, NCP SP leader Azam Pansare told mediapersons that he and Ajit Pawar had a discussion on a lot of general issues and expressed the wish to have an alliance between the two parties. (ANI)