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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.

Madras HC grants interim anticipatory bail to comedian Kunal Kamra

  • PTI
  • Mar 28, 2025
  • 4 min read

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday granted interim anticipatory bail to comedian Kunal Kamra, who is facing the heat over his jokes on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.



The court granted Kamra the relief on the condition that he should execute a bond to the satisfaction of the judicial magistrate at Vanur in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu.


Justice Sunder Mohan also issued notice to 2nd Respondent (R2-Khar Police) and posted the matter to April 7.


Kamra had submitted he moved to Tamil Nadu from Mumbai in 2021 and has been "ordinarily a resident of this State since then" and that he feared arrest by Mumbai Police.


The judge noted the petitioner, who is residing in Villupuram district, apprehends arrest in the case registered on the file of R-2 against him.


Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the allegation against the petitioner was that he made certain remarks in a standup comedy on Deputy Chief Minister, called "Naya Bharath."


According to the prosecution it harmed the reputation of the deputy CM.


Counsel further submitted that the allegation does not warrant custodial interrogation. He was unable to seek anticipatory bail in Maharashtra.


Counsel for the petitioner submitted that a life threat was made against him by partymen and the Ministers. He sought anticipatory bail to enable him to approach court in Maharashtra.


Citing a judgment of the Supreme Court, the judge said the petitioner prima facie satisfied as to why he was unable to approach a court in Maharashtra immediately. Hence, he directed issuing notice to R 2.


"In the meanwhile, this court is inclined to grant anticipatory bail till April 7. He should execute a bond to the satisfaction of Judicial Magistrate, Vanur," the court said.


Twice summoned by the Mumbai police, the 36-year-old stand-up comic's caustic comments on Shinde during his latest show in Mumbai have landed him in trouble and triggered a huge row.


The controversy stems from Kamra's show at the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar, where he performed a parody song targeting Shinde. The act prompted a strong backlash from Shiv Sena supporters, who vandalised the club and the hotel in which it is located on Sunday night.


Kamra was booked by the Khar police on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel for allegedly making defamatory remarks against the deputy CM.


In his petition, Kamra submitted he has been working on and touring with his latest tour titled "Naya Bharat," over the past year.


The theme and content include a humorous yet criticial take on "Ambani's Wedding," Diwali's impact--how the festival affects people, animals, and birds and Parody songs " "A musical finale that adds an extra layer of humor to the show".


He submitted he is innocent of the offences levelled against him and that he has been falsely implicated in the case.


Although the FIR has been registered in Khar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, he is seeking anticipatory bail from Madras HC as he resides within its jurisdiction and "fears imminent arrest at the hands of the 2nd Respondent police if he were to travel to Mumbai and seek regular Anticipatory bail there."


"He also fears actual physical bodily harm and threats to his life and personal liberty in the event of his arrest by the 2nd Respondent police, a threat which has been chillingly made in public by political party cadres."


He said he has no political affiliation and has been a vocal supporter of enforcing and protecting the Constitution of India.


On the contentious show that has kicked up the present row, Kamra submitted he performed his new stand-up comedy show "Naya Bharat" at a venue in Mumbai in February 2025 and it was uploaded on his Youtube Channel on the 23rd of that month.


On March 23, persons claiming to be political activists vandalised the alleged venue of the petitioner's performance in Khar. On the same day, Khar Police Station also received the information from the complainant, Andheri East MLA Patel.


"It is alleged by the complainant that during the said performance of the petitioner, he defamed the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Ekhnath Shinde by making slanderous statements on his conduct. The complainant further alleged that the petitioner's performance has damaged the reputation of their party and fostered animosity between the rival political parties."


"It is pertinent to mention here that the disputed songs/poem narrated by the petitioner does not name anyone, leave alone the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra," he claimed.


Kamra contended that from the date of release of this Youtube video, he has been receiving threats of physical harm and death on various social media platforms and even on his personal email and mobile phone.



"Such threats and warnings are primarily coming out of the Mumbai area. These are death threats and threats of harm to my life and the lives of my loved ones. The Petitioner submits that he is scared for his life and liberty if he goes to Mumbai on 31.03.2025 (as summoned by Khar police)," he said. He listed out the various statements made by Shiv Sena leaders to buttress his claim on threats.


Petitioner contended "he was innocent and wrongly and baselessly implicated in the said offences." He was ready to cooperate with the officers of the Respondent (police) and willing to supply them all the information and material sought by them.

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