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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.

The Significant Royal

The MVA faced probably the biggest embarrassment in Kolhapur when the official candidate of the opposition alliance Madhurima Raje withdrew her nomination from the assembly election and the grand alliance that is confident of coming to power in the state had to support an independent candidate in the constituency. However, the developments that followed it have placed a question mark over the sitting Congress MP – Chhatrapati Shahu Raje – as to whether he is merely a pawn for his political party even though he is being revered among the people as the King.


Shahu Maharaj, also known as Shahu II of Kolhapur, is current Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Kolhapur constituency. Born on January 7, 1948, he is a descendant of the illustrious Maratha warrior king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and the great-grandson of the great social reformer Shahu I of Kolhapur.


Shahu Maharaj’s early education was at the prestigious Bishop Cotton School in Bangalore, followed by higher studies at Indore Christian College, where he graduated in 1967 with a degree in History, Economics, and English Literature. His academic background laid a strong foundation for his future endeavors in public service and leadership.


In 1962, Shahu Maharaj was ceremonially crowned as the Maharaja of Kolhapur, a title he holds with great respect and responsibility. Despite the abolition of royal titles and privy purses by the Indian government, he continues to be a revered figure in the Maratha community and beyond.


He is affiliated with the Indian National Congress (INC) and has been actively involved in various political initiatives. His first significant foray into politics was in 1998, although it was not until 2024 that he successfully won the Lok Sabha seat from Kolhapur. His victory was a significant milestone, as it marked the return of a Congress MP to Kolhapur after 25 years.


His personal life is equally distinguished. He is married to Yadnaseniraje, and the couple has two sons, Sambhaji Raje and Maloji Raje, both of whom are also involved in public service. His family continues to uphold the values and traditions of their royal lineage while contributing to the welfare of society.


However, when it came to deciding the candidate for the assembly, it appears as if other local leaders of the Congress and Mahayuti undermined Shahu Maharaj. This left the king very disturbed and even threatened to resign as the party MP. The open outburst of political leaders in favour of and against Shahu Maharaj has exposed the claims of the Congress that it offered him the post of MP just to honour the royal family.


However, this is not the first time that the royal family has been insulted like this due to its involvement in the politics.

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