Maharashtra: BJP-Sena inch towards seat-sharing deal for NMMC elections

The Shiv Sena and BJP seem to be inching closer towards a breakthrough in the seat-sharing talks for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) elections.

Q:How many seats are they talking about?
"The talks are in the final stages. They may conclude in the night," said BJP Navi Mumbai president CV Reddy. He added that while the BJP was likely to fight from 45 seats, the remaining would go to the Shiv Sena in the 111-member house.If the deal comes through, this will be a major shot in the arm for the BJP, which had contested just 14 seats in an 89-member house in 2010, winning at just one place. The Shiv Sena had fought 75 seats and won 17.

Q: When are the elections scheduled?
The elections to the NCP-controlled NMMC are due on April 22. The NCP has 54 corporators and the Congress 13. The saffron alliance is hoping to control the municipal body located next to Mumbai riding on the reverses faced by then NCP minister Ganesh Naik in the Lok Sabha and assembly polls.

Q: BJP candidate defeated strongman Ganesh Naik
The BJP, which had parted way from the Sena in the assembly polls, had managed to put up a stellar performance with the party's nominee and former NCP MLC Manda Mhatre trouncing Naik from Belapur. However, Naik's son Sandeep managed to retain his Airoli seat. In the Lok Sabha polls, Shiv Sena's Rajan Vichare defeated Naik's son and the then MP Sanjeev from the Thane seat, which also covers Navi Mumbai.