The outcome of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections will determine the political roadmap of top leaders of the Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Republican Party of India (RPI).
The stakes are higher for the ruling Shiv Sena. The BMC elections are a litmus test for the leadership of Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, who is pitted against his estranged cousin MNS chief Raj Thackeray.
Whether his bold decisions to issue tickets to 96 new candidates (out of the total 135 contestants) coupled with the poll plank on development will bring dividends remain to be seen. While there is no direct threat to Uddhav’s leadership within the organisation, the remote control in the BMC is significant for the expansion of the saffron brigade ahead of the 2014 state assembly and parliament elections.
Matters are going to get complicated for MNS chief Raj Thackeray. If the elections throw a hung corporation, the MNS will find itself in catch-22 situation. “Irrespective of the number of seats we win, we cannot align with the Congress-NCP or Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI,” said political managers in the MNS.
For the Congress, which is caught in intra-party conflict, the BMC results may determine the tenure of chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.
Whether it is the strategy of alliances or ticket distribution, Chavan has been in the forefront. Overall, the Congress will equate its growth in comparison with its alliance partner NCP not only in the BMC but in all 10 municipal corporations and 27 zilla parishads across Maharashtra.
Another leader for whom the BMC polls are going to be a make or break is Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief Kripashankar Singh. As half-a-dozen elected members (MLAs/MPs) have ganged up against him over the selection of candidates, he will have to show results.
The NCP, whose stakes are limited, will still slog it out if their leaders fail to deliver. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has divided the responsibility among the local leaders and ministers.
His performance will be judged from the outcome of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad corporations. Minister for public works department Chhagan Bhujbal cannot afford a poor show in Nashik to retain his upper hand in the NCP. Similarly, industries minister Narayan Rane’s stand in the Congress will directly depend on the local bodies’ results in the Konkan region. The Beed zilla parishads will prove senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde’s mettle as he faces the NCP challenge. A majority of ministers, who are working to guard their turf in the local bodies elections, include home minister RR Patil (Sangli) and rural development minister Jayant Patil both NCP.
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