JOIN USThe battle of nerves for the mayoral seat of Mumbai continued on Friday with the Shiv Sena and the BJP trying to garner as much support as possible.
However, the easiest option is for the both the saffron parties to come together with a long-lasting, power-sharing formula.
The mayoral elections of the 227-ward Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is likely to be held on March 9 – four days after the budget session of Maharashtra legislature commences.
The Shiv Sena, which won 84 seats at the BMC, garnered some support when Tulsidas Shinde and Snehal More, who won as independents – both contested as rebels – met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and joined the party.
Another independent, Changez Multani, also met him and extended support to the Shiv Sena. Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar claimed the support of four independents in addition to the party’s strength of 81. However, he did not name them.
Asked about his stand on the mayoral polls, Thackeray said, “We have not thought about it yet. I am happy, I am celebrating, we all are celebrating. After all, for the fifth time that we have emerged as the largest party.”
Shipping, Highways and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari feels that both the parties need to come together. “The situation now is that both parties (the BJP and Shiv Sena) have no option but to come together again. The decision of course, he said, has to be taken by Devendra Fadnavis and Uddhav Thackeray. Both are mature and I am sure they will take the right decision,” Gadkari told a TV channel.