Mumbai Civic Polls: A Direct Contest Without Third Front

In the upcoming Mumbai civic polls, 32 of the 227 seats will see a direct contest between the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and the Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. The absence of a third-front candidate could benefit the Thackerays by consolidating anti-BJP votes. The Congress-VBA alliance is intact despite reports of discord.

The Mumbai civic polls are set to witness direct contests on 32 seats, as the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance goes head-to-head with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Notably, there is no strong third-front candidate to challenge them.

This electoral landscape has emerged as the Congress-Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi (VBA) alliance refrained from contesting these seats. The BJP-Shiv Sena partnership, under Eknath Shinde, and the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS, led by Raj Thackeray, are both vying to uphold Marathi culture.

Despite reports of discord, the VBA conveyed to Congress its decision to contest only five of their designated seats, while Congress fields candidates on the remaining 16. With the absence of a third front, vote splitting is unlikely, potentially favoring the Thackerays.