India, Dec. 13 -- Weeks after a slugfest between the BJP and Shiv Sena, during the first phase of local body elections in the state, the two parties in the ruling Mahayuti alliance have decided to play nice - they will contest elections to all major municipal corporations, including Mumbai and Thane, as an alliance.

The state BJP unit officially buried the hatchet on Friday, announcing that both parties will reconcile and contest elections to most municipal bodies together. A total of 29 municipal corporations and district councils (panchayat samitis) will go to the polls in January next year, the final leg of three-phase elections to local self-governing bodies in the state.

Back-room meetings that led to the decision to contest as par...