Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: The race to the coveted post of Mayor of Mumbai is becoming complex day by day in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the ongoing power-tussle and ideological switches in many of the civic bodies across Maharashtra.
Amid reports of horse-trading and poaching - and every party is treading cautiously.
Hours after Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde literally staked the claim for the post of BMC Mayor, the BJP maintained that the Mayor would be from Maha Yuti alliance.
"Balasaheb Thackeray's birth centenary year starts from 23 January. Some Shiv Sainiks have the feeling that a Shiv Sena Mayor should be installed in the BMC as a mark of respect,” Shinde has said, in what has been seen as a claim for the post of Mayor in Mumbai despite just one-third of BJP’s numbers.
However, Shinde stressed that the Shiv Sena would not take any decision that goes against the people's mandate, emphasising that the Shiv Sena and BJP had fought the Mumbai civic elections as Maha Yuti alliance.
The developments come at a time when Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is attending the World Economic Forum in Davos in Switzerland.
Shinde, who is the Shiv Sena chief leader, is also in touch with BJP’s central leadership in New Delhi and had reportedly made a trip to the national capital.
In the 227-member House, where the magic figure is 114, the BJP has emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats. Its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, won 29 seats, taking the Maha Yuti tally to 118, while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP (SP) got three seats by contesting independently.
On the Opposition side, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) won 65 seats. Its allies — the Raj Thackeray-led MNS (six) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) (one) — take the Opposition bloc’s strength to 72. The Congress, which contested independently, won 24 seats.
Meanwhile, the Urban Development Department will conduct the lottery draws for reservations of Mayoral seats in the 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra.
It will be decided whether the post will be reserved for Women, SC, ST, OBC or General categories.
Meanwhile, former Mayor Kishori Pednekar was appointed Shiv Sena (UBT)’s group leader in the BMC general body. Pednekar, who hails from Worli, was the Mayor during the full period of Covid-19 pandemic.
Report suggests that the Shiv Sena as well as the Shiv Sena (UBT) has sent out feelers to each other's corporators amid the emerging situation.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: “Nobody cares about Shinde for the Mayoral post. There is nothing more insulting than those who call themselves Shiv Sena, put up Balasaheb Thackeray’s photo, and then go to Delhi to sit at the feet of Gujarati leaders for the post of Mumbai Mayor.”
THANE
In the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), which comprises 131 seats, the Shiv Sena won 75 seats and BJP 28. However, BJP has sought substantial share in power arguing that to fulfill manifesto promises including the Mayor’s post or Standing Committee chair, or Leader of the House. A section of the BJP feels it is better to be in opposition.
KALYAN DOMBIVLI
In Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), the Shiv Sena has secured the support of five MNS corporators. The KDMC, comprising 31 wards, has a total strength of 122 corporators. In the elections, the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 53 seats, followed closely by the BJP with 50. The Shiv Sena (UBT) won 11 seats, the MNS five, Congress two and the NCP (SP) one. The magic figure is 62.
NAVI MUMBAI
In the 112-member Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), where the BJP won 65 seats and Shiv Sena 42, the latter is planning to sit in the opposition benches. In fact, BJP’s state Forest Minister Ganesh Naik is a political rival of Shinde and the duo engaged in a war of words during the campaign.
NASHIK
In the 122-member Nashik Municipal Corporation too there is a struggle. The BJP is in clear majority with 72 seats Shiv Sena got 26 and NCP 4 and Shiv Sena (UBT) 15. The Shiv Sena wants a share of power in Nashik, where Kumbh-mela festivities would be held next year.