BJP to go solo in 2022 Mumbai civic body polls against Sena

Days after the Shiv Sena snapped ties with the BJP, the latter on Sunday decided to contest the 2022 Mumbai civic body elections on its own.

The Sena has been controlling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the country's richest civic body, since the last 30 years.

"The BJP has decided to contest the upcoming BMC elections on its own and come to power. We will have our own Mayor for sure. By January 1 next year, the BJP will complete most of its party-level appointments including the state president," state BJP president Chandrakant Patil said.

Currently, Sena corporator Kishori Pednekar is the Mayor of Mumbai.

Patil had succeeded Raosaheb Danve as the state BJP chief after the latter was inducted into the Narendra Modi cabinet as a junior minister in June this year.

Patil is likely to get a full three year term in January next year, according to sources in the BJP.

In the BMC elections held in 2017, the BJP had made huge strides by winning 82 seats out of total