India, Dec. 27 -- Ahead of the municipal elections on January 15, 2026, tensions have erupted within the ruling Mahayuti alliance over the distribution of seats, especially between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde). As part of initial seat-sharing discussions, the BJP has reportedly proposed allocating 15 seats to the Shiv Sena in the 41-ward civic body - a move that has sparked dissatisfaction within the Sena ranks.

Shiv Sena leaders have been pressing for nearly 35 seats, citing the party's organisational network, cadre strength and previous electoral performance in Pune. As such, the BJP's offer is being viewed as significantly below expectations, resulting in a deadlock in negotiations. According...