Mahayuti alliance cracks in Latur; BJP to contest all 70 seats in civic body

Latur, Dec 30 (PTI) The much-anticipated alliance between the BJP and NCP for the January 15 elections to the Latur Municipal Corporation (LMC) in Maharashtra appears to have broken down with the former announcing it will contest all 70 seats independently.

Talking to reporters on Tuesday, the last day of filing nominations, former minister and BJP's Latur civic poll in-charge, MLA Sambhajirao Patil Nilangekar, declared his party will contest all 70 seats in the LMC.

He said the BJP had made sincere efforts to forge an alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Despite the willingness shown by senior NCP leaders in the district, he claimed the alliance was derailed due to interference by second and third-rung functionaries who threw a spanner in the works.

He noted that NCP leaders, including Minister Babasaheb Patil, former minister Sanjay Bansode and MLC Vikram Kale, were keen on contesting the polls as part of the alliance.

However, office bearers accompanying the NCP leadership allegedly sabotaged the understanding. Refusing to name those responsible for the break-up, Nilangekar advised the NCP's district leadership to remain cautious of such forces.

Nilangekar asserted that the BJP would contest the Latur civic elections with full strength. PTI COR RSY