Maharashtra assembly elections: BJP sounds poll bugle

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has flagged off its Assembly election campaign in Mumbai and appointed senior party workers to review the situation in every municipal ward in the city and suburbs. The party workers will also visit wards that come under Assembly constituencies represented by Shinde Sena leaders.

According to sources, the BJP has appointed around 125 senior party workers to take stock of matters in 227 wards. "Some will review the situation in a single ward while others will be responsible for two wards. These people will review the situation on the ground as well as how many votes were garnered by the Mahayuti during the Lok Sabha election," a source said.

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Six MLAs from the city belong to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction. "The BJP will review wards in these MLAs' constituencies. There is nothing wrong with this. We have a base. The party structure exists in every ward," a senior party worker who is part of the team said.

BJP spokesperson Bhalchandra Shirsat confirmed the development. "Yes, the party has appointed senior party workers to take stock of the situation in every ward." While the Mumbai Congress has decided to contest 16 out of the city's 36 Assembly seats, its ally Shiv Sena (UBT) has decided to contest 25.

In the 2019 election, while in alliance with undivided Shiv Sena, BJP contested in 17 of the city's Assembly constituencies, winning 16. After the split in the Shiv Sena, the BJP contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election with the Shinde Sena as an ally and both parties won one parliamentary seat each. The BJP lost in one constituency compared to the 2014 election.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) got the lead in 20 city Assembly constituencies while the ruling Mahayuti managed to get the lead in 16 Assembly seats. Four MVA candidates emerged victorious in the city as opposed to two from the Mahayuti camp.