In a clear signal that post-election negotiations in Mumbai are entering a decisive phase, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde has moved swiftly to secure its newly elected Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) corporators and shut the door on any potential horse-trading.
After shifting all 29 Sena corporators to a five-star hotel soon after the results, the Shinde camp has now decided to complete every procedural and documentary formality without delay. Sources within the party said the leader of the Sena corporators’ group is likely to be announced today, along with the completion of official paperwork aimed at eliminating any scope for defection.
Names of relatively young but experienced corporators such as Yamini Jadhav, Trishna Vishwasrao and Amey Ghole are doing the rounds for key leadership roles within the civic setup. Party insiders say the intent is to present a united and disciplined front as negotiations with allies intensify.
The urgency stems from the tight political arithmetic thrown up by the BMC elections. The BJP, led in the state by Devendra Fadnavis, emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena secured 29. Together, they cross the majority mark of 114 in the 227-member House, but neither party has the numbers to govern on its own.
The question of who will claim the mayor’s post is now at the centre of discussions within the alliance. The Shiv Sena has traditionally held the mayor’s chair for decades, and Shinde is keen to retain it to reinforce his claim as the political heir to the original Sena. The BJP, however, is believed to be pushing for the post as well, especially since it has never had a mayor in the BMC despite its growing dominance in Mumbai politics.
On the opposition benches, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar together have 72 seats. With the Congress, AIMIM and the Samajwadi Party added, the opposition tally touches 106—just eight short of the majority—keeping alive speculation, however remote, of a united challenge.
It is this backdrop that has made the Shinde camp especially cautious. Uddhav Thackeray has publicly suggested that Shinde’s real concern may lie closer home, hinting that allies who once broke ranks could do so again. Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has also claimed that many corporators in the Shinde faction are first-timers who may not favour a BJP mayor.
Shinde loyalists have rejected such assertions, saying the steps being taken are purely to protect the mandate and ensure no undue pressure is placed on corporators. They have maintained that the opposition must accept the verdict and that all decisions will follow due process.
With the mayoral decision still pending, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said the final call will be taken collectively by alliance leaders. Until then, the Shinde Sena appears determined to leave nothing to chance as Mumbai’s civic power play moves into its most crucial stage.
