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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.

Loan Scheme Could be Game Changer

Annasaheb Patil Loan Scheme

The Maharashtra government’s Annasaheb Patil Loan Scheme offers interest-free loans ranging from 10 to 50 lakhs to educated and competent youngsters in Maharashtra who want to start their own businesses or grow an existing one. Maratha youngsters are given loans to start their own businesses on behalf of the Maharashtra government through the Annasaheb Patil Economically Backward Development Corporation. Recently, the Maharashtra Government issued a Government Decision (GR) authorizing the disbursement of 30 crore rupees on behalf of the Annasaheb Patil Economically Backward Development Corporation.


Regarding the state’s unemployment, the Annasaheb Patil Loan Scheme was established to provide employment to the unemployed Maratha population, assist in business, and improve the state’s industrial sector. This initiative provides loans for businesses to the state’s youth in a very simple manner. Under this model, if a company makes a loan, the corporation pays the interest. This helps young people start their own businesses. The corporation is working to provide loans to the youngsters of the Maratha community. In the beginning, the teenagers had a difficult time obtaining financing from the firm. But eventually, the government improved the system for the youth so that they could receive funding as soon as possible. This system sets aside 4 percent of the total budget for the disabled.


The main and the most important objective of this scheme is to provide loans under the Annasaheb Patil Loan Scheme to the youth of Maharashtra state for them to start new businesses or expand current ones. To give financial help to economically disadvantaged groups, particularly unemployed youth, for them to start new businesses. Implementing plans to create jobs and self-employment prospects. To provide social development for economically disadvantaged groups. The bank provides self-employment to government-certified institutions as part of this strategy. Economically disadvantaged individuals are provided interest-free loans to establish employment groups, partnership societies, cooperative societies, corporations, LLPs, and FPO industries. The employment of the state will gradually increase, and the living standard of people will increase and get better.


In our state, there are many people who aspire to become entrepreneurs but struggle due to financial constraints. To address this issue, the state government initiated the Annasaheb Patil loan scheme. If you opt for a loan under this scheme to start your business, you will have a repayment period of up to 5 years. One of the prime conditions for the applicant is only permanent residents of Maharashtra are eligible for this loan scheme.

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