Battle for BMC: Will BJP-Shiv Sena be forced to join hands?

Uddhav ThackerayThe warring frenemies are at the point of no return With neither reaching the magic number of 114 seats in the BMC election the Shiv Sena and the BJP will have to scheme against each other fight in the house over the numbers required to grab the mayors post or simply bury the hatchet and join hands to work together in the richest municipal corporation of the countryFor the latest on BMC Election Result 2017 click hereAshish Shelar and Devendra Fadnavis The Shiv Sena with 84 seats and the BJP 82 stand separated by just two seats in the house Other major parties in the fray the Congress and the MNS have been reduced to a pulp in the battle that was primarily fought between the ruling partners in the state and the CentreAlso Read Shiv Sena pips BJP by 2 seats to win MumbaiShiv Sena workers celebrate outside Sena Bhavan at Dadar PicsPradeep Dhivar and Rane AshishSo what will be the citys political scene in the days to come The Sena and the BJP are expected to try and get a majority for themselves on their own That if made possible will give either of them a shackleless run in the BMC But if that doesnt happen the two will have no option but to sit together in the houseBJPrsquos Sameer Desai ward 58Goregaon breaks into raptures at his winThe first possibility may seem difficult but not impossible because the NCP 9 the MNS 7 and others 11 may take a stand to support either the Sena or the BJP The Congress 31 role will be crucial as the BJP and the Sena are said to be in touch with its corporatorsBJP claims victoryMumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar claimed at victory at a press conference saying the BJP had the support of the four Independents taking his partys tally to 86 He said his party would have its mayor installedHowever there was a voice of rapprochement from some quarters in the BJP To break the ice a senior BJP leader and PWD Minister Chandrakant Patil said his party would put the acrimonious past behind But he said the agreement would be conditional adding that the BJP would join hands with the Sena only if the Uddhavled party promised transparency in its functioning in the BMCRead Story Bookie predictions prove to be startling accurateThe Sena had parted ways with the BJP when the latter insisted on transparency The Sena ridiculed the BJPs agenda throughout its poll campaign On the other hand the BJP claimed its agenda was lapped up by voters who were fed up with massive corruption in the BMCI dont think there is any other option other than the BJP and the Sena joining hands in Mumbai But we will ensure that the Sena agrees to follow our agenda of transparency said PatilAsked if the BJP would go with the Sena which has been very critical of his party high command Patil said You dont now how largehearted our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our party president Amit Shah are They dont bear any grudge against anyoneImmediately after Patils statement to the media Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis mdash whom the party is celebrating as the architect of its stupendous performance not only in Mumbai but the rest of Maharashtras eight other civic corporations and 26 zilla parishads mdash left the decision to the BJPs core committee and Mumbai leadersOur core committee will decide what needs to be done in the BMC he said insisting that the citizens of Mumbai had voted for transparency and development the agenda he would take to its logical end Sources in the BJP said the core committee was expected to meet late last night at the chief ministers official residence VarshaUddhav eyes assembly pollsSena chief Uddhav Thackeray said he would not only install his mayor in Mumbai but also have his CM in the next assembly pollsI fought elections only for winning and the Sena has performed extremely well The credit goes to sainiks I will think only when the mayors election is announced I havent yet thought about any postpoll alliance he said