MNS Backs Shinde Sena in Kalyan-Dombivli Mayoral Race, Snubbing BJP

• Raj Thackeray's MNS has pledged support to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC).
• This move is significant as MNS and Shinde Sena were rivals, and it deals a blow to Uddhav Thackeray, despite the Thackeray brothers contesting civic polls together.
• Former MNS MLA Pramod Patil announced the decision, with the party's five corporators formally declaring support at the Konkan Divisional Commissioner’s office.
• The Shinde Sena, with 53 seats, is the single largest party in the 122-member KDMC; MNS support brings their tally to 58, nearing the 62-seat majority.
• The support aims to keep the BJP, which has 50 seats, from securing the mayor's post, despite both Shinde Sena and BJP being part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra.

Why It Matters: MNS supports Shinde Sena in Kalyan-Dombivli, aiming to block BJP from the mayor's post.