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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.

Ballot Beckons

Maharashtra’s voters face a critical choice on November 20. With the State Assembly elections unfolding this time against a backdrop of political turbulence and deep regional disparities, the stakes have never been higher. The Election Commission of India (ECI), mindful of past voter indifference, has unleashed a flurry of campaigns to stir the electorate, particularly in urban bastions like Mumbai. Yet the question looms: will these efforts inspire citizens to exercise their franchise or will Maharashtra be shackled by the malaise of voter apathy?


Mumbai, the financial capital, has long struggled with dismal voter turnout, rarely crossing the 50 percent mark. Pune, too, has seen similar voter apathy. The middle and upper classes, often disillusioned by the complexities of coalition politics and uninspired by candidates, have shunned their civic duty in such cities. The same electorate, however, often cries foul over governance. This paradox must be confronted head-on in this Assembly poll. If urban elites remain disengaged, the state risks ceding political power to narrow, sectional interests.


The election also underscores a proliferation of independent candidates. A record 2,087 independents are in the fray this year, a staggering increase from 1,400 in 2019. While independents can inject fresh perspectives, many are likely ‘dummy candidates,’ planted to confuse voters or siphon votes.


A divided vote could further complicate governance in a state already grappling with fragmentation. The split in the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has muddied the waters, turning allies into adversaries and blurring ideological lines. Alliances on both sides - the Mahayuti and the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) - are fragile, often at odds with their own histories and bases. If voters fail to deliver a decisive mandate, the state risks descending into the chaos of opportunistic coalitions and political paralysis. Maharashtra embodies a tale of two states. Urban centers like Mumbai and Pune boast infrastructure projects and high per capita income, while rural regions such as Vidarbha and Marathwada are plagued by droughts, farmer suicides, and economic stagnation. This dichotomy demands leaders who can bridge the gap, but a fractured mandate would embolden populist quick fixes over long-term solutions.


Maharashtra’s future hinges on its electorate’s ability to prioritize governance over identity politics. The State contributes 13.3 percent to India’s GDP and holds immense sway in national politics. Yet, its political future hinges on whether voters can rise above apathy, sectarianism and the temptation to reject candidates via NOTA.


In 2019, over 7 lakh voters chose this option, reflecting their dissatisfaction. While symbolic, NOTA does little to change the political landscape; engaged voting does.


The electorate must confront this reality: a fractured mandate will deliver fractured governance. The task is clear. Maharashtra’s voters must turn out in record numbers and cast their votes with discernment. Only then can the state hope to transcend its divisions and harness its immense potential.

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