BJP and MNS explore tie-up for Aurangabad civic body polls

Mumbai: In a development that could lead to some interesting political alignments, the BJP and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leaderships are exploring whether the two parties could enter into an alliance for the Aurangabad civic polls to be held in April. The Shiv Sena, Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have decided to contest as an alliance for the 115 seats in the Aurangabad civic body. And to take on this three-party alliance, the BJP has initiated talks with MNS for a possible tie-up. “There is still some time for the polls; nothing has been decided yet. The BJP is looking at an arrangement for the civic polls as we can make a difference,” said an MNS leader.

A BJP leader said there were “options” before the party but said that nothing has been decided yet. “Let them (Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress) first form an alliance. They have, as of now, only declared their intention. We will decide accordingly,” said a BJP leader on condition of anonymity when asked about the talks on the tieup with MNS. MNS, which has been on the decline for a while now, has decided to change its strategy since the Shiv Sena has joined the NCP and Congress to come to power in the state. The MNS has been projecting itself aggressively as a Hindutva party to step into the space laid vacant by the Sena and, in a bid to come closer to the BJP, it has also abandoned its anti-migrant stance.

MNS leaders said that even if the BJP and MNS do not go for a formal alliance, they could have a ‘tactical alliance’ whereby the two parties would not pit strong candidates where the other party has a better chance of winning. The MNS had such an arrangement with NCP in the 2019 assembly polls where it fielded ‘weak’ candidates in seats where NCP had a better chance of winning, so as not to eat into NCP votes. MNS leaders said Raj believes that the Sena split with the BJP is a golden opportunity for the party to step in and make its presence felt. “There are two civic elections being held in April - one in Aurangabad and the other in Navi Mumbai. We are giving our all to perform in these elections,” said another MNS leader.