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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.

New Age Leadership In Action

Updated: Dec 19, 2024

Devendra Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis did so in 2022. Eknath Shinde reciprocated in 2024.


Since the election results were declared in the last week of November, much of the focus has been on who would lead Maharashtra as Chief Minister. But this debate has obscured a rare and powerful display of servant leadership: a leadership style in which the needs of the people and the cause they serve are prioritized above personal aspirations. By stepping aside from his claim to the Chief Minister’s chair, Eknath Shinde exemplified this approach. His willingness to serve as deputy chief minister underscores that advancing the Mahayuti alliance’s vision and mission takes precedence over his personal interests.


This act of humility has only strengthened his stature. Today, Shinde commands greater respect—not merely because his selflessness will be noted by the National Democratic Alliance but because he has demonstrated that politics can rise above the pettiness of personal gain. In doing so, he has earned the trust of voters and stakeholders alike. Fadnavis, who made a similar sacrifice in 2022, displayed the same grace.


Such gestures stand in stark contrast to other instances where politicians have abandoned long-standing alliances or principles in pursuit of power, only to lose public confidence. Maharashtra now offers a compelling counterexample: a model of cooperative and selfless governance that could inspire rest of country.


The world, too, could benefit from this kind of leadership. It calls for leaders who see themselves as servants of the people—leaders rooted in self-sacrifice and dedicated to advancing the greater good. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi often proclaims, he is Pradhan Sevak—the prime servant—of the nation. This ethos of servant leadership has the potential to transform governance by shifting focus away from personal aggrandizement and toward the needs of the people.


Consider the example of PRAGATI, a digital platform that has fast-tracked over 340 long-delayed infrastructure projects worth $205 billion under Mr. Modi’s leadership. Such initiatives demonstrate how a leader’s commitment to service can deliver tangible benefits, even in a complex and bureaucratic system.


The revival of this spirit of service in contemporary leadership could be a gamechanger for India, unlocking the country’s vast potential and inspiring innovative solutions to entrenched problems.


This spirit of servant leadership has implications far beyond politics. It fosters a governance model that prioritizes collaboration over conflict and inclusivity over division. Leaders with such a mindset are better positioned to navigate crises, whether economic, social, or environmental. In a world where polarization often dictates political strategy, example of unity within the Mahayuti alliance is a refreshing departure.


Yet, the challenge lies in sustaining this momentum. Political dynamics are often fickle, and the sincerity of such sacrifices will be tested by the outcomes they deliver. For the Mahayuti, maintaining focus on its manifesto promises will be critical. Success here could set a new standard for coalition politics in India—one where service, not self-interest, becomes the hallmark of leadership.


India’s rich cultural and civilizational heritage has long produced leaders of remarkable vision and integrity. It is time for the world to take note. The solutions to many of its pressing problems lie in transcending narrow self-interest—a principle India embodies in its leadership ethos. As the Kaivalya Upanishad observes, “na karmana na prajaya tyage naika amritatvamanasuh”—sacrifice alone confers immortality. In the public imagination, both Fadnavis and Shinde, who relinquished their rightful claims at critical moments, will be remembered for their selflessness. This bodes well for Maharashtra and its people.


(The author is a professor based in London. Views personal.)

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