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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.

BJP’s Marathwada Face

Raosaheb Danve-Patil.

Marathwada is the crucial region for the BJP in this 2024 assembly election. After the Maratha quota agitation caused much damage to the party in Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, the party is worried about its performance in Marathwada and the only hope it has rests on the shoulders of former union minister and former state unit president of the party Raosaheb Danve-Patil.


Born in a traditionally landlord family of Bhokardan in Jalna district of Marathwada on March 18, 1955, Raosaheb Danve-Patil’s political journey began in the early 1980s when he joined the BJP. He was among the first few electoral success stories of the political party which was known for principled politics back then. Building up his career from the Sarpanch to Panchayat Samiti, ZP and the assembly Danve-Patil has been elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Jalna constituency multiple times, showcasing his strong support base in the region.


In the internal party dynamics, he always sided with Gopinath Munde, who had his roots in Maharashtra. After sudden death of Munde, Danve-Patil’s political career took a big leap. Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the Narendra Modi-led government. But was made the state unit president of BJP when the party was firmly in the power at centre as well as the state. During his leadership, he played a crucial role in strengthening the party’s organizational structure and expanding its reach across the state. His efforts were instrumental in the BJP’s success in various elections, including the 2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, where the party emerged as the single largest party.


Danve’s political career is filled with controversies. He has faced allegations of corruption and misuse of power, which have led to legal battles and investigations. Recently his video went viral over the social media where he is seen kicking a supporter to push him out of the camera frame. However, being a good organizer and a leader with ground connect such controversies have hardly affected him.


After being re-elected to parliament In 2019, Danve-Patil became the Minister of State for Railways. He toiled for improving the railway infrastructure in the state and especially the Marathwada region. However, that didn’t help him win 2024 Lok Sabha.


Danve’s leadership style is characterized by his ability to connect with people from all walks of life. He is known for his extensive tours of his constituency, where he interacts directly with the people, listens to their grievances, and works towards addressing their issues. His down-to-earth personality and dedication to public service have earned him a loyal following.

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