BJP demands 65 seats, Sena to decide today

TUSSLE STARTS MLA Manda Mhatre asks for 40 seats from Belapur constituency and 25 seats from Airoli constituency; last week, the BJP had wanted 55 seats

Seat-sharing talks for civic elections were held for the first time between the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) on Thursday.

Last week, the parties announced an alliance for Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections.

The BJP has demanded 65 of the total 111 seats in Navi Mumbai at a meeting held at Thane.

In the last municipal elections, the Shiv Sena had got 16 seats and the BJP only one.

On Thursday, the meeting was held between BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar, Shiv Sena deputy leader Vijay Nahata and BJP MLA Manda Mhatre.

According to Mhatre, who is heading the talks in the city for the BJP, “We have asked for 40 seats from Belapur constituency and 25 seats from Airoli constituency.”

She added, “Our demand is based on the strength of the party in the city as per our survey and analysis. It is a rightful demand.”

When contacted, Nahata who is heading the party in Navi Mumbai said, “We will take a decision on the demand on Friday.”

According to sources, while the local units were not keen on the alliance, the state BJP leadership has asked the city unit to ensure that the alliance is formed and reach a compromise on seat sharing.

Last week when the alliance was announced by the party leadership, local leaders had anticipated that the seat-sharing issue would be a hurdle.

BJP l eader Chandrakant Gharat had said: “The seatsharing formula for alliance should be 55-45 basis in favour of the BJP.”

After the Lok Sabha elections, Manda Mhatre quit the Nationalist Congress Party and joined the BJP.

Mhatre won the Assembly election from Belapur constituency. The big political move has changed the political scenario of the city.

The alliance is also looking at routing the Nationalist Congress Party which has been ruling the municipal corporation for three terms.