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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.

Humble Governance

Updated: Jan 6, 2025

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken a commendable step towards dismantling not just the state’s, but India’s, entrenched culture of VIP entitlement. In a directive issued to district collectors, police commissioners and superintendents, Fadnavis has called for an end to two rituals synonymous with political privilege: the ceremonial police guard of honour and the presentation of bouquets during his visits to districts. The decision, modest though it may appear, signals a shift in leadership priorities - away from symbolic flattery and toward a more grounded, public-centric governance style.


This move has resonated with the public. Social media platforms are abuzz with praise for the Chief Minister’s apparent attempt to chip away at the VIP culture that has long irked India’s citizens. Bouquets and ceremonial guards of honour have often been seen as emblematic of the feudal overtones that still linger in the corridors of Indian politics. By discarding these practices, Fadnavis has signalled a break from pageantry to focus on pragmatism.


While the gesture is laudable, it is merely a starting point. Maharashtra, like many Indian states, is riddled with challenges that demand a Chief Minister’s undivided attention and action. As both the Chief Minister and the Home Minister, Fadnavis is uniquely positioned to enact transformative policies. However, he must now move beyond symbolic measures and tackle the deeper grievances of the common man.


Maharashtra faces issues that range from crumbling urban infrastructure to rural distress. The state’s cities, including Mumbai and Pune, are plagued by traffic congestion, air pollution and inadequate public transport systems. Meanwhile, in rural Maharashtra, farmer suicides due to debt and crop failures remain an alarming trend. Addressing these concerns requires policies that bridge the urban-rural divide and make governance more inclusive.


A key area where Fadnavis could extend his reformist zeal is in improving the responsiveness of public institutions. The state’s bureaucratic machinery often appears detached from the needs of its citizens. Lengthy administrative processes, unresponsive grievance redressal mechanisms, and rampant corruption deter the common man from accessing his rights.


Fadnavis must strive to be a Chief Minister who is accessible and accountable to all segments of society. The decision to forgo bouquets and guard-of-honour rituals demonstrates his understanding of the optics of leadership. However, the true test of his governance will lie in his ability to address systemic inequities and foster a culture of fairness and inclusion. India’s democratic institutions were built on the promise of equality and service to the people. Moves such as Fadnavis’s recent directive can indeed serve as a reminder of these principles. But real change requires not just the dismantling of outdated practices but also the construction of systems that prioritize public welfare over political theatrics. Fadnavis’s intentions, thus far, seem admirable. The next step is to match symbolism with substance, ensuring that his tenure leaves an indelible mark not just on Maharashtra’s political culture but also on the lives of its citizens.

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