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...

min read

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.

Shiv Sena accuses NCP of playing the 2014 game

Correspondent
Nov 27, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Nov 29, 2024

Mumbai: While it is getting clear that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is unlikely to be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ramdas Kadam, a senior Shiv Sena leader, has accused the NCP of playing the same game with it that it had played about a decade back to bring down the Shiv Sena’s bargaining power.

The NCP, however, has sharply retorted back saying that the Shiv Sena leaders should avoid statements that would create divide between the Mahayuti alliance.

One may remember, that after the BJP and Shiv Sena contested assembly elections separately and BJP got 122 seats, which were not enough to prove majority and the Shiv Sena with 64 members were unwilling to join hands with the BJP, the NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had declared unilateral support to the BJP to form government in the state. BJP then formed the government and Shiv Sena joined the government later unwillingly settling for fewer ministries.

According to Ramdas Kadam, a similar game is being played by the NCP even now. While Eknath Shinde is unwilling to make way for Devendra Fadnavis to take over as the Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, on Monday, made it clear that his party would support Fadnavis as the Chief Minster.

This, said Kadam, reduced Shiv Sena’s bargaining power. Which, essentially means, Shinde is left with fewer ways not but to make way for Fadnavis.

Shiv Sena spokesperson and MLC Manisha Kayande said, “We are serious about pushing for Shinde saheb as CM in our feelings and sentiments. He has given an excellent performance in Maharashtra at a huge personal cost. He has worked hard for two years, sleeping barely three hours each night. But, we do not undermine Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. We fully understand the reality and why BJP may not be willing to let go either.”

While, former education minister Deepak Kesarkar, said that his party will abide by the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

While Kadam’s statement clearly means that Shiv Sena won’t go in for leaving the Mahayuti government now, even if Shinde doesn’t get to become Chief Minister again.

In such a scenario, he is likely to settle for inclusion in union cabinet or would happily remain in the state as the DCM under Fadnavis.

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