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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.

Shinde, the new star on the horizon

Updated: Nov 25, 2024

Eknath Shinde

Mumbai: It’s a double win for Eknath Shinde. Not only has the chief minister won his seat of Kopri-Pachpakhadi, but his Shiv Sena faction has emerged as the second largest party in the state of Maharashtra — with 55 seats.

Following the win, Shinde acknowledged the people’s mandate, expressing his gratitude to the people for giving a thumping majority and a landslide victory to the Mahayuti. “I extend my heartfelt thanks to my beloved sisters, farmers, youths, and all segments who have voted for us. This is a reflection of the work we have done in the last two-and-a-half years.”


Speaking to reporters Saturday evening, the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis said the Mahayuti leaders had been instructed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the Chief Minister would be selected after a consultation between all. “There will be no dispute about who will be the Chief Minister... it was decided from day one that, after the election, the leaders of the three parties will sit together and decide this,” he said. “The decision will be acceptable to everyone, there is no dispute on this.”


Meanwhile, senior leaders said that there is no doubt CM Shinde has led the alliance from the forefront and was quick in making decisions which has benefited the MahaYuti alliance in this election. Moreover, strong support from PM Narendra Modi and HM Amit Shah made it easier to win the election. “If talking about who will be the next CM will only be decided by top leaders of MahaYuti. But one cannot deny current CM Shinde has worked towards the progress of Maharashtra not only but also strengthen the alliance by having fruitful discussions before taking any step so that it doesn’t get backfired,” he said.


The win has also solidified Shinde’s position in Maharashtra politics, with many stating that he is now the true inheritor of Bal Thackeray’s legacy. His deputy, Devendra Fadnavis went one step ahead and said, “People have given their mandate and have accepted Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar has got the legitimacy of NCP.”


Shiv Sena contested a total of 81 seats. As per the Election Commission, of this, they are ahead in 55 seats. This gives the Shinde a winning strike rate of 67.9 per cent.


Eknath Shinde is also one of the brains behind the popular Ladki Bahin Yojana, which has been credited for the MahaYuti alliance’s thumping victory. The scheme ensures a monthly support of Rs 1,500 to underprivileged women, aged 21 to 65. Many poll pundits believe that it is this very scheme that led to 53 lakh more women voting in these elections compared to 2019, and their voting percentage rising by six percentage points.


Moreover, Shinde has been hailed for his hands-on approach as the chief minister of the state. He also has been able to secure the trust of the BJP. Last month, when a reporter even asked Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about the CM face of the Mahayuti, the BJP leader pointed to Shinde.


As chief minister, Shinde has also been credited for being accessible. People from his faction as well as the Mahayuti alliance have said that the doors of Varsha, the official residence of Maharashtra chief minister, have always been open to all.


Shinde has also held his own in the Mahayuti alliance. He’s driven a hard bargain during the Lok Sabha and Assembly election seat negotiations, ensuring that his faction isn’t run over by Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis, the two bigger leaders. As one Sena leader told the Indian Express, “Shinde has successfully made sure his people get justice and are rehabilitated which helped him ensure support for him among his party leaders remains intact and the party is strengthened.”

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