MUMBAI, Dec. 23 -- On December 22, one day before the filing of nominations for the BMC polls, no political party or alliance had formally announced its official candidates. Allies on either side of the divide are still deliberating on their seat-sharing arrangements. While the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are struggling to finalise seats for the same pie-the city's Marathi strongholds-Ajit Pawar's NCP is out in the cold and the Congress is choosing to fight it out alone. Even the All India Majlees-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen-all geared up for the polls much ahead of time, according to its spokesperson Waris Pathan-is yet to announce its candidates. Mumbai guardian minister Ashish Shelar, who is leading the BJP into the polls said, "We have done our homework, and our deliberations with our alliance partners continue. We shall announce candidates at the right time. We are the largest cadre-based party and our people will accept our decisions well." While Kishori Pednekar, ex-mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson, told HT that things would become clear in a few days and well before the last date of filing nominations on December 30. Prakash Surve from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena said, "One hundred and fifty seats have been finalised and discussions are on for the remaining 75 seats." Political analyst Vivek Bhavsar feels this delay in announcing candidates is a deliberate strategy. "We witnessed this in 2017 too when the candidate lists were not announced till the last day of filing nominations, and AB forms were handed over secretly to quell rebellion," Bhavsar said. "A similar strategy could be at play this time around." Bhavsar said that the BJP, currently basking in its rural belt poll victory, was refusing to cede space to Eknath Shinde's party. "Shinde had demanded 100 seats but he may now have to settle for around 52, which is what they offered him at their very first seat-sharing talks," the analyst said. "Shinde could choose to settle for a better deal at Thane instead." Bhavsar feels that while this leaves scope for ample rebellion, the parties will be able to manage it. Another party worker had a different take. "Since elections are happening after a long time, parties are gauging the political mood in the constituencies," the party worker said. "Every aspirant who is denied a ticket has his set of followers within the party, who need to be retained and convinced that the candidate chosen by the party was right and needs to be supported. All these kinds of things have to be factored in within the party strategy while dealing with the polls. The other issue is about each party waiting to see which candidate the other side is putting up and deciding their candidate accordingly," he said....