Maharashtra – Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday night met with 29 Shiv Sena corporators who have been staying at Taj Land’s End hotel in Bandra since Saturday, addressing the ongoing Mumbai Mayor row that has dominated political discourse. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Shinde declared that Mumbai would have a Mahayuti mayor, a statement he and his allies have repeatedly emphasized in recent days.
The Mumbai Mayor row has intensified following Shinde’s decision to house the corporators in a hotel after the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance secured a narrow majority in the recent civic polls. “Even neighbouring cities like Kalyan-Dombivli will have a Mahayuti mayor,” Shinde asserted, reinforcing the alliance’s determination to control key municipal positions.
Opposition Allegations and Official Response
The Mumbai Mayor row escalated when the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed that corporators were being kept at the hotel because Shinde was bargaining for a better deal with the BJP. They also alleged concerns about potential poaching of corporators by rival parties.
Officially, the Sena had declared that the corporators were kept in a hotel for a three-day training session, as many corporators were first-time elected representatives requiring orientation and guidance for their new roles.
Shinde’s Strong Rebuttal
Addressing the opposition’s allegations in the Mumbai Mayor row, Shinde firmly stated, “The Shiv Sena is not a party that gets cowed down. The Sena (UBT) should take care of its own corporators,” hinting that opposition corporators might be vulnerable to poaching.
Minister Samant, who was also present, added to the discourse surrounding the Mumbai Mayor row by alleging that Sena (UBT) corporators would abstain from voting. “The media will realise who is not reachable at the time of the mayoral elections,” Samant said, hinting that some corporators from rival parties could vote for the Mahayuti mayoral candidate.
Mayorship Sharing Demands
When questioned about whether the Sena was demanding a sharing arrangement in the Mumbai Mayor row, Samant responded, “All parties that come to power feel they must have their own mayor.” Sources within the Sena revealed that since the birth centenary year of Sena founder Bal Thackeray will start on January 23, they wanted a Sena mayor this time, adding another dimension to the ongoing controversy.
Development-Focused Agenda
Beyond the political maneuvering in the Mumbai Mayor row, Shinde addressed the corporators about their responsibilities and urged them to prioritize development. “People want development,” he emphasized, asking them to prepare an action plan immediately.
Shinde warned the newly elected corporators that citizens must not face inconvenience and that corporators must be visible in their constituencies. “Get up in the morning and get to work,” he instructed. “Your wards must be the best in Mumbai.”
Political Strategy and Alliance Dynamics
The Mumbai Mayor row also reflects broader political strategies within Maharashtra. Taking a dig at the Thackeray cousins, Shinde claimed that the Mahayuti’s development work had scored over their emotional appeals to the electorate.
Samant reiterated that the civic body polls were contested as the Mahayuti alliance, emphasizing unity among coalition partners despite the current Mumbai Mayor row. “The Shiv Sena will not do what the earlier Shiv Sena headed by Uddhav Thackeray when he allied with the Congress after the 2019 polls did,” Samant declared.
Electoral Performance and Future Implications
Addressing the Mumbai Mayor row in the context of electoral performance, Shinde noted that the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the civic polls, followed by the Shiv Sena. He described these results as a precursor to the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.
In the recently concluded civic polls, the alliance of the BJP and Shinde-led Sena won a clear majority in the 227-member BMC, securing 89 and 29 seats, respectively. The Sena (UBT) won 65 seats, while its ally MNS emerged victorious on six seats.
Policy Initiatives and Reforms
Moving beyond the immediate Mumbai Mayor row, Shinde appealed to newly-elected Sena members to follow up on ambitious schemes like ‘pagdi-free Mumbai’. This initiative refers to a comprehensive plan to overhaul the old, problematic pagdi (tenant-ownership) system, aiming to clear stuck redevelopment projects that have plagued the city for years.
The emphasis on such policy matters suggests that despite the current political controversy, the administration is attempting to maintain focus on governance and urban development issues.
Looking Ahead
The resolution of the Mumbai Mayor row remains crucial for the functioning of the BMC, India’s richest municipal corporation. As the Mahayuti alliance holds a clear majority, the final decision on the mayoral position will likely reflect the power dynamics and negotiation outcomes between the BJP and Shiv Sena.
The coming days will reveal whether the training session narrative holds true or if deeper political bargaining is indeed underway. Regardless, the outcome of this controversy will set the tone for governance in Mumbai and potentially influence political equations in Maharashtra ahead of crucial national and state elections.
