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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.

Dhananjay Munde in soup over Beed Sarpanch’s murder

Updated: Dec 23, 2024

CM Fadnavis announces transfer of Beed SP for showing laxity in the investigation

Dhananjay Munde

Mumbai: NCP Minister Dhananjay Munde has landed in trouble in the murder case of Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog in Beed district. Munde is conspicuous by his absence in the legislature since this case cropped up.

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, Ambadas Danve has raised this issue in the House and levelled serious allegations, asserting that Walmik Karad, the alleged mastermind behind the brutal murder of a Beed village head, is evading arrest under the government's tacit protection. Danve insists that Karad remains shielded due to his alleged connections with NCP minister Dhananjay Munde.


Speaking in the House, Danve claimed, "Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was murdered after being kidnapped. All this happened on the directions of Walmik Karad. He is the mastermind in the case. Fingers are being pointed to Walmik Karad, who has been staying at a farmhouse in Nagpur for the last four days. But the situation is such that the police cannot arrest him."


The murder case of Santosh Deshmukh, has been making headlines in the state for the past few days. Political accusations are being made on this, now Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has presented his position in the House. Also, Fadnavis has said that whoever is the mastermind in this murder, action will be taken against him. Fadnavis informed that action will be taken against Valmiki Karad in the extortion case, he will be punished.


The ordeal traces back to the abduction and tragic death of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, on December 9. Deshmukh had confronted an extortion attempt against an energy company, purportedly orchestrated by Karad and accomplices. Despite the arrest of four individuals, the mastermind and other accused are on the run. As debates heat up during the Maharashtra legislature's winter session, Danve is urging decisive action from the state government, questioning its willingness to confront significant criminal undertakings within its jurisdiction. He emphasizes the necessity for transparency and justice for the people of Beed district.


Munde’s absence talking point

According to sources, the mastermind of this heinous crime is a close associate of Munde. The minister himself admitted having proximity with Karad. Munde, a minister in the newly formed Devendra Fadnavis has virtually gone underground. No NCP leader is ready to talk about Munde.


The opposition cornered the Mahayuti government over the killing of a sarpanch and demanded the arrest of a close aide of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) minister Dhananjay Munde. The opposition also demanded that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis adopt Beed as its guardian minister.


A local NCP leader, Vishnu Chate, has been arrested in the case. Deshmukh was allegedly killed for thwarting an attempt to extort 2 crore from a windmill company. The murder has been politicised as the sarpanch hailed from the Maratha community while Chate, whose NCP is a part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, belongs to the Vanjari community, an OBC community opposing the inclusion of Marathas in the OBC category.


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