Nagpur, 23 Dec

(HS): The Mission Municipal Corporation is beginning on Tuesday, with the first

day for filing nomination papers. The polling for all the 29 municipal

corporations is scheduled to be held on January 15.

Although a

formal announcement about alliance between various parties of the BJP-led

Mahayuti with Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar) with RPI(A) and

others; and Maha-Vikas Aghadi of UBT, Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar), have not

been made, the parties are working out different combinations at local levels.

Mumbai, Thane

and Pune municipal corporations are major attractions in the civic body

elections. Shiv Sena, before fraction, led the Mumbai and Thane municipalities for

several years. Pune was also dominated by the Nationalist Congress Part, before

Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar separated.

Congress has

already announced that it will contest elections independently. NCP (SP) is not

happy with UBT’s alliance with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by Raj Thackeray.

A formal

announcement on Uddhav Thackeray and his brother Raj Thackeray’s MNS coming together

is expected to be made on Tuesday. The two brothers are coming together after

19 years.

With

overwhelming response by voters to Bharatiya Janata Party in Nagar Palika and

Nagar Parishad elections, BJP is hoping to capture the most important Mumbai

Municipal Corporation. It is contesting elections with Shiv Sena (Eknath

Shinde) to oust UBT and MNS from the Mumbai.

The last date

for filing nominations is December 30. The scrutiny of nomination forma will be

done on December 31 and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is January

2. The symbols will be allocated to the candidates in fray in the final list.

The polling will

be held on January 15 and the counting of votes on January 16.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar