top of page

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.

Contrived Surrender?

Updated: Jan 2, 2025

Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra’s Chief Minister and Home Minister, has built a reputation as a firm, no-nonsense administrator. However, the dramatic surrender before authorities of Walmik Karad, a close aide of NCP leader Dhananjay Munde heavily implicated in the violent murder of Beed’s sarpanch, Santosh Deshmukh, threatens to tarnish Fadnavis’ image. The opposition MVA has branded Karad’s surrender before the CID in Pune as a ‘staged affair.’ Fadnavis faces a crucial test: to prove his commitment to justice without allowing accusations of political bias to take root as this is not just a moment of political risk but a test of his integrity.


The Karad episode also presents an opportunity for Fadnavis to clean Maharashtra’s Augean stables. The state has long been plagued by allegations of political interference in criminal investigations, often leading to public disillusionment with governance. By allowing the investigation to proceed unimpeded even if it implicates high-ranking figures in his coalition like Munde, Fadnavis can set a new standard for accountability. His reputation, carefully cultivated over years of public service, risks being tarnished if he fails to act decisively.


Karad’s surrender has done little to quell suspicions. His decision to turn himself in, rather than being apprehended, has fuelled allegations that the state machinery is complicit in protecting him. These claims gained traction after Karad released a video asserting his innocence just minutes before arriving at the CID office in a luxury vehicle. For a man accused of extortion, forgery, and rioting—among other crimes—his unhurried submission seemed more like theater than justice.


The optics of Karad’s surrender also reflect poorly on law enforcement. The police’s inability—or unwillingness—to apprehend him earlier raises questions about the autonomy of the force. Nine teams were reportedly deployed to track him down, only for Karad to emerge at his convenience. This is not merely a failure of operational efficiency but a glaring indictment of the system’s susceptibility to political pressures.


The political overtones of the case are impossible to ignore. Karad’s proximity to Munde and his significant influence in Beed have made him a polarizing figure. His meteoric rise from humble beginnings in Solapur to becoming an indispensable cog in Beed’s political machinery highlights the entrenched patronage system that dominates regional politics. That Karad allegedly wielded enough clout to appoint officials and secure weapon licenses for his supporters underscores the depth of his reach.


Fadnavis has thus far maintained a studied neutrality, promising action “without fear or favour.” Yet his credibility as both Chief Minister and Home Minister is on the line. The MVA has called for Munde’s resignation and a fast-tracked investigation, but Fadnavis must go beyond reactive measures. He must ensure a transparent and rigorous probe that leaves no room for doubt about the state’s commitment to justice. For a leader who has often positioned himself as a custodian of good governance, Fadnavis cannot afford to falter.

Comments

bottom of page