Eknath Shinde
Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena on Saturday decided to shift all its 29 newly elected Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) corporators to a luxury hotel in Mumbai, in a highly unusual instance of “resort politics” being deployed in a civic body election. The move came despite the Sena and its ally, the BJP, securing a clear majority by winning 118 of the 227 seats in the BMC, ending the Thackeray family’s over two-decade-long hold on the country’s richest civic body.Also Read: Did soft Hindutva hit Uddhav hard? Behind the setback of ‘Thackeray brand’ in BMCSo, what led to this decision?Shiv Sena (UBT) stirs the potEarlier in the day, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, whose Shiv Sena (UBT) came second with 65 seats despite being severely weakened by the June 2022 split in the then undivided Shiv Sena, made a veiled remark, saying his party could have its own mayor in the BMC, “God willing.”Also Read: Uddhav Thackeray alleges coercion, kidnapping in BMC polls; thanks voters for backing Shiv Shakti alliance”It’s my dream to install a Shiv Sena (UBT) mayor in Mumbai, and if ‘Dev’ (God) is willing, this dream will be realised,” PTI quoted Thackeray, interacting with party workers.If Uddhav kept cards close to his chest, his second-in-command, Sanjay Raut, was more direct. Raut pointed out that the party still has significant numbers in the Mumbai civic body and, together with other parties, could “topple” the victors.“We can topple them from the chair anytime, but we respect democracy,” the Rajya Sabha member remarked.What numbers sayGiven the number game, such a move cannot be ruled out. Together, the non-BJP/Shiv Sena parties have 109 corporators, just five short of the majority mark. With the BJP firmly established as the largest party, and given Maharashtra’s long history of politicians switching sides frequently—something Shinde himself has benefited from—the deputy chief minister finds himself vulnerable.His vulnerability also stems from another factor.Shinde’s ‘mayoral’ headacheThe Shiv Sena’s split led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray government, after which Shinde joined hands with the BJP, which elevated him to the post of chief minister. The elevation came at Fadnavis’ expense, who was made deputy chief minister despite having earlier served as chief minister and despite publicly announcing that he would stay out of the government.Also Read: After BMC polls setback: Congress leader demands Mumbai unit chief’s resignation; gets party notice The roles were reversed after the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls, with Shinde also losing out on the coveted home portfolio, which stayed with Fadnavis, who had also held it as deputy CM.Now, Shinde faces the real possibility of the Shiv Sena being denied the Mumbai mayor’s post as well—one the BJP, too, would be reluctant to cede. A few disgruntled Sena corporators, including aspirants to the mayor’s post, and at least some from the flock could attempt a “ghar wapsi.”Officially, the party maintains that the corporators are being shifted to allow them to “refresh” themselves after a “hectic election season.”On his part, Fadnavis took a lighter view of the situation: “I am also called ‘Deva’… God above has decided that there will be a Mahayuti (BJP-Shiv Sena alliance) mayor.”With the stakes high, the coming days would reveal whether Shinde ultimately has his way. Or else, internal dissent cannot be ruled out. Go to Source
