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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Shinde dilutes demand

Likely to be content with Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai Mumbai: In a decisive shift that redraws the power dynamics of Maharashtra’s urban politics, the standoff over the prestigious Mumbai Mayor’s post has ended with a strategic compromise. Following days of resort politics and intense backroom negotiations, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has reportedly diluted its demand for the top job in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), settling instead for the Deputy Mayor’s post. This...

Shinde dilutes demand

Likely to be content with Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai Mumbai: In a decisive shift that redraws the power dynamics of Maharashtra’s urban politics, the standoff over the prestigious Mumbai Mayor’s post has ended with a strategic compromise. Following days of resort politics and intense backroom negotiations, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has reportedly diluted its demand for the top job in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), settling instead for the Deputy Mayor’s post. This development, confirmed by high-ranking party insiders, follows the realization that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) effectively ceded its claims on the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) to protect the alliance, facilitating a “Mumbai for BJP, Kalyan for Shinde” power-sharing formula. The compromise marks a complete role reversal between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Both the political parties were in alliance with each other for over 25 years before 2017 civic polls. Back then the BJP used to get the post of Deputy Mayor while the Shiv Sena always enjoyed the mayor’s position. In 2017 a surging BJP (82 seats) had paused its aggression to support the undivided Shiv Sena (84 seats), preferring to be out of power in the Corporation to keep the saffron alliance intact. Today, the numbers dictate a different reality. In the recently concluded elections BJP emerged as the single largest party in Mumbai with 89 seats, while the Shinde faction secured 29. Although the Shinde faction acted as the “kingmaker”—pushing the alliance past the majority mark of 114—the sheer numerical gap made their claim to the mayor’s post untenable in the long run. KDMC Factor The catalyst for this truce lies 40 kilometers north of Mumbai in Kalyan-Dombivali, a region considered the impregnable fortress of Eknath Shinde and his son, MP Shrikant Shinde. While the BJP performed exceptionally well in KDMC, winning 50 seats compared to the Shinde faction’s 53, the lotter for the reservation of mayor’s post in KDMC turned the tables decisively in favor of Shiv Sena there. In the lottery, the KDMC mayor’ post went to be reserved for the Scheduled Tribe candidate. The BJP doesn’t have any such candidate among elected corporatros in KDMC. This cleared the way for Shiv Sena. Also, the Shiv Sena tied hands with the MNS in the corporation effectively weakening the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s alliance with them. Party insiders suggest that once it became clear the BJP would not pursue the KDMC Mayor’s chair—effectively acknowledging it as Shinde’s fiefdom—he agreed to scale down his demands in the capital. “We have practically no hope of installing a BJP Mayor in Kalyan-Dombivali without shattering the alliance locally,” a Mumbai BJP secretary admitted and added, “Letting the KDMC become Shinde’s home turf is the price for securing the Mumbai Mayor’s bungalow for a BJP corporator for the first time in history.” The formal elections for the Mayoral posts are scheduled for later this month. While the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—led by the Shiv Sena (UBT)—has vowed to field candidates, the arithmetic heavily favors the ruling alliance. For Eknath Shinde, accepting the Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai is a tactical retreat. It allows him to consolidate his power in the MMR belt (Thane and Kalyan) while remaining a partner in Mumbai’s governance. For the BJP, this is a crowning moment; after playing second fiddle in the BMC for decades, they are poised to finally install their own “First Citizen” of Mumbai.

Above Glam Quotient

Pranati Shinde

Solapur MP Pranati Shinde proved that she is about some realpolitik when she declared open support to an independent candidate in the Solapur South assembly constituency after the polling began today. While the MVA constituent Shiv Sena (UBT) had fielded Amar Patil from the seat, Shinde lent support to independent candidate Dharmaraj Kadadi causing panic in the ally Shiv Sena (UBT) camp.


Born on December 9, 1980, in Solapur, Maharashtra, Praniti is the daughter of veteran Congress leader and former Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. Praniti has carved out her own political path, distinct from her father’s legacy.


Praniti’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and a law degree from Government Law College, Mumbai.


Her early exposure to politics and social work, coupled with her academic achievements, laid a strong foundation for her political career. She began her political career at the age of 29, when she was elected as a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Solapur City Central constituency in 2009. Her oratory and interpersonal skills while dealing with party workers helped her sail through the Modi wave and she reached Maharashtra assembly in 204 as well as 2019 from the constituency.


Praniti’s political acumen and dedication were further recognized when she was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Solapur Lok Sabha constituency in 2024. This victory marked a significant milestone in her career, as she became the first woman MP from Solapur. Her election campaign was noted for its emphasis on grassroots engagement and addressing local issues, which resonated with the electorate.


The fact that she was an MLA for 15 years demonstrates her consistent popularity and effectiveness as a legislator. During her tenure, she focused on issues such as women’s empowerment, education, and social justice, leveraging her platform to advocate for the underprivileged. In 2021, Praniti was appointed as the Working President of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, a role that significantly elevated her profile within the party. She also served as the Chairperson of the Scheduled Castes Welfare Committee of the Maharashtra Legislature, where she worked tirelessly to address the concerns of marginalized communities.


Initially, when she was given responsibility of the youth wing of the party, it wasn’t taken seriously and brushed off as an additional of some glam quotient in the youth wing. However, the way she criticized and took on the opposition, her detractors soon realized that she is not just about glam quotient by is about some realpolitik.

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