When results for elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra were declared on January 16, it was the outcome in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) that quickly stole the spotlight. Far from a routine post-poll process, the developments here have generated more intrigue than even the much-watched Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation contest.
A Split Mandate & An Internal Face-Off
The 122-member KDMC produced a fractured verdict, with no single party touching the majority mark of 61. The Shiv Sena faction led by Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde emerged as the single largest group with 53 corporators, while its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, followed closely with 50 seats, as per NDTV. Instead of a straightforward contest between the ruling alliance and the opposition, the real tussle unfolded within the alliance itself, placing the Sena and the BJP on opposite sides of a tense power equation.
Opposition parties, though reduced in numbers, suddenly found themselves playing a pivotal role as potential kingmakers, with every corporator’s allegiance becoming crucial in the race to form the civic body.
Shifting Loyalties & Strategic Gains
The first major shift came when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raju Patil threw his weight behind the Shinde-led Sena by extending the support of five corporators. This move lifted the Sena’s strength to 58, pushing it ahead of the BJP but still short of the majority.
Soon after, political ripples spread through the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction. Sharad Patil, the party’s KDMC district chief, filed a police complaint stating that two corporators were untraceable. Political circles buzzed with speculation that they were in contact with the Shinde camp. Of the UBT faction’s 11 corporators, two were reportedly unreachable, while two others—Swapnali Kene and Rahul Kot—were said to be in touch with the MNS, which continues to align with the Thackeray camp, reported News 18. Patil later clarified that his complaint referred only to the two corporators suspected of shifting towards Shinde.
Majority Crossed, BJP Left Watching
The balance tilted decisively when Shrikant Shinde reportedly secured the backing of one corporator from the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and two from the Congress. This took his bloc to 65, comfortably beyond the halfway mark, while the BJP remained static at 50.
There are also indications of unease among the remaining UBT corporators. Seven of them are said to be in contact with the Shinde faction, raising the possibility that the ruling bloc’s numbers could climb to 72. If that happens, the BJP could find itself sidelined in a corporation where it had expected a central role.
A New Script In Local Politics
The unfolding KDMC episode has reshaped local political narratives. Shrikant Shinde’s handling of the post-poll arithmetic has underlined his growing stature as a strategist and highlighted the rising influence of the Shinde family’s second generation in Maharashtra’s political landscape.
While votes have been counted, the contest for control in Kalyan-Dombivli is still evolving. With alliances fluid and loyalties under strain, KDMC has become a live demonstration of how municipal politics can mirror the high-stakes manoeuvring of state-level power struggles.
