NAGPUR: The BJP’s impressive performance, recording a three-fold increase in seats as compared to 2011 in the just concluded municipal council polls across the state, will be a shot in the arm for the Devendra Fadnavis government. With the elections for 10 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, to be announced this week, the BJP will find itself at an advantage.The Congress-led opposition failed to capitalise on the controversial demonetisation policy of the BJP government at the Centre or the simmering social disquiet and agitations of Marathas, OBCs and Muslims over issues related to reservations. The Congress-NCP claim that the notebandi has affected rural populace the most proved specious as voters continued to show faith in the BJP and its policies in the essentially rural polls of municipal councils.The BJP can attribute its good electoral performance to better organisational strength and network which is lacking in both the Congress and the NCP at this juncture. It will not be surprising if the BJP now decides to shun a pre-poll alliance with Shiv Sena for Mumbai and other nine municipal corporation elections most likely to be held in second half of February. At the same time, the Congress and NCP will be forced to go together in the civic polls if they want to avoid a repeat of the poor show in 2014 assembly elections.The Shiv Sena is a ruling partner in the state government and yet is the most vociferous critic of the Fadnavis government. Last week, party president Uddhav Thackeray dared the BJP to go it alone in the BMC elections, saying that he was prepared for any battle for political survival. The BJP has not responded.The municipal council polls, in which it emerged as the single largest winner, will now give the BJP confidence to break free from the Sena. The BJP will have to take this step to settle the score with the Sena which has lost no chance to hit at its partner in the last two years.