BJP breaks off alliance talks with NCP and announces it will contest all 70 seats in Latur Municipal Corporation polls independently.
Seat-sharing deadlock cited as main reason; NCP had demanded a large share of wards.
Both parties will now fight separately, raising chances of a split in pro-Mahayuti votes and possible gains for opposition MVA.
Alliance Crumbles In Marathwada – BJP Goes Solo
Mahayuti Coalition Fractures Ahead of Key Civic Battle – BJP Snubs NCP Seat-Sharing Demands, Opts for Independent Sweep in All 70 Wards of Latur Municipal Corporation Elections Set for January 15 Amid Rising Tensions in Maharashtra Politics
Summary
The proposed BJP-NCP alliance for the January 15, 2026 Latur Municipal Corporation elections has collapsed, with the Bharatiya Janata Party deciding to contest all 70 seats independently.
BJP Maharashtra president Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced the decision late Tuesday, ending weeks of seat-sharing talks that failed to produce an agreement. The party accused the Ajit Pawar-led NCP of making “unacceptable” demands during negotiations.
“We have decided to fight the Latur civic polls on our own strength. Our workers and leaders are fully prepared to secure a decisive mandate for development and good governance,” Bawankule told reporters in Mumbai.
The BJP had been in power in the Latur Municipal Corporation since 2017 (with 36 seats in the previous election) and was looking to consolidate its position through the Mahayuti alliance. However, the NCP reportedly sought a near-equal or larger share of seats, leading to a deadlock.
NCP spokesperson Mahesh Landge reacted sharply, calling the BJP’s unilateral decision “arrogant and shortsighted”. “This is not how alliances work. By going alone, BJP is gifting the opposition an opportunity. We will now contest all seats independently and expose their overconfidence,” he said.
Political observers say the rift could benefit the Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress, Sharad Pawar NCP, Shiv Sena UBT) in a multi-cornered contest, especially in a region where factional loyalties and local issues often decide outcomes.
Nominations for the Latur Municipal Corporation elections begin on January 2, with polling scheduled for January 15 and results expected the following day.
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