Navi Mumbai Civic Polls: BJP-Shiv Sena Neck-and-Neck, Naik-Shinde Rivalry Heats Up

• Vote counting for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra has begun, with initial trends showing the BJP-Shiv Sena grand alliance leading statewide.
• In Navi Mumbai, BJP and Shiv Sena are contesting separately, leading to a fierce neck-and-neck battle.
• Out of 111 seats in Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, BJP and Shiv Sena are both leading in 27 seats each.
• Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena has only one candidate leading, while Congress and NCP are yet to open their accounts in Navi Mumbai.
• Internal disputes within BJP, specifically between Ganesh Naik and Manda Mhatre, and the broader Naik-Shinde rivalry, are impacting the local political landscape.

Why It Matters: Navi Mumbai witnesses a tight BJP-Shiv Sena contest amid internal party disputes and shifting political dynamics.