After BJP’s Maharashtra local poll gains, Sanjay Raut reaches out to Rahul Gandhi as BMC stakes rise

NDTV, quoting sources, reported that Sanjay Raut, a senior leader of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), spoke to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday to discuss a joint strategy for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

The outreach follows the local polls in which the Congress emerged as the strongest performer within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), while the Shiv Sena (UBT) secured nine seats.

With the high-stakes BMC elections scheduled for January 15, the conversation is being seen as more than a routine political exchange.

During the call, Raut is said to have emphasised the need for a united opposition to counter the BJP and its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

The move marks a noticeable shift in stance for both the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress, which had until recently indicated plans to contest the civic polls independently.

Raut himself had earlier suggested that his party was prepared to go it alone, saying those who wished to join were welcome, the Sena would fight solo.

However, the BJP’s strong showing in the local body elections appears to have altered calculations within the opposition. There is growing recognition that without Congress’s vote share, the Thackeray faction may struggle to challenge the BJP–Shinde combine effectively in Mumbai.

Raut now faces a complex strategic choice—balancing a possible alliance with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) while retaining ties with the Congress.

The Congress has made its position clear that it will not align with the MNS, citing ideological differences and the party’s aggressive stance towards North Indian migrants.

While Raut had earlier hinted at a reunion of the Thackeray cousins irrespective of Congress’s position, the latest results suggest that such a strategy could prove electorally insufficient. His recent assertion that defeating the BJP requires opposition unity reflects this evolving reality.

Before the 2022 split, the Shiv Sena controlled the BMC for nearly 25 years, making the civic body a crucial centre of power in Maharashtra politics.

For the BJP, wresting control of the BMC is a key objective, while for Uddhav Thackeray, the elections represent a critical chance to reclaim political relevance and protect his party’s traditional base.

The fragmentation of the Marathi vote following the Sena split has prompted the Thackeray faction to explore a tie-up with the MNS.

However, such a move risks alienating Muslim and North Indian voters—groups whose importance has grown as Mumbai’s Marathi population has declined.

The Congress, which traditionally commands support among these communities, is wary of any alliance involving the MNS. Party leaders have reiterated that aligning with the MNS could erode their core voter base in the city.