Mumbai: Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday confirmed that the ruling Mahayuti alliance will contest all upcoming Zilla Parishad and Municipal Corporation elections as a united bloc. The announcement followed a crucial meeting attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan, and senior alliance leaders.
Bawankule said district leaders have been instructed to complete the Mahayuti’s grassroots organisational structure without delay.
“Minor issues may arise on 5–10% seats locally, but wherever needed, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will personally intervene and take the final call,” he said.
Bawankule, who also serves as the BJP’s state in-charge for local body polls, emphasised the importance of a coordinated strategy to prevent internal clashes among party workers.
“Ajit Pawar Is an Inseparable Part of Mahayuti”
Amid speculation about rifts within the alliance, Bawankule asserted that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and his faction of the NCP remain an integral part of Mahayuti.
He acknowledged that some local body elections in the past had seen disagreements among workers, but insisted the issues were minor and have now been “completely resolved.”
“There has never been any ill will — only normal electoral differences of opinion, which are now a thing of the past,” he said.
BMC Elections: ‘4 + 4’ Formula Finalised
For the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the Mahayuti has agreed upon a “4 + 4 formula”. Under this arrangement:
- A coordination committee will include four senior office-bearers each from BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde group)
- Representatives from other Mahayuti allies will also join
- The group will undertake detailed technical analysis before finalising seat-sharing
Any unresolved differences will be escalated to the top leadership — Fadnavis, Shinde, and Ajit Pawar — who will jointly take the final decision, including on the crucial post of Mayor of Mumbai.
Bawankule on Vidarbha’s Development
Bawankule also addressed concerns over Vidarbha’s long-standing development issues. He said the region has witnessed “unprecedented progress” since the Fadnavis-led government assumed power in 2014.
He criticised the Congress for “decades of neglect” that, according to him, caused Vidarbha’s decline.
The minister reaffirmed that owing to Vidarbha’s largest forest cover in Maharashtra, the headquarters of the Forest Department will remain in Nagpur and will not be shifted to Mumbai.