top of page

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.

Uddhav’s choice of candidates sends a firm message to cadre

Updated: Oct 30, 2024

Uddhav

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena’s (UBT) selection of candidates in Mumbai indicates that the party is banking on its loyal leaders to remain relevant in the city than inducting new comers on a large scale.


The party’s case is proven in two particular constituencies, Dahisar and Jogeshwari (East). In Dahisar, it has fielded veteran Vinod Ghosalkar against the BJP’s Manisha Choudhary. Ghosalkar lost his promising son Abhishek last year as he was killed in his friend’s office over some dispute. A broken Ghosalkar was virtually out of the action. However, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has reposed faith in his trusted party worker.


In Jogeshwari (East), the party has fielded former councilor Anant aka Bala Nar against the Shiv Sena’s Manisha Waikar. This contest has become interesting since Ravindra Waikar, a one-time close confidant of Uddhav Thackeray, switched over to Shiv Sena, became a member of Lok Sabha and now managed to get a ticket for his wife Manisha in the Assembly election.


Nar was a like a shadow to Waikar. He ran the party’s one of the most vibrant branches in Jogeshwari. Nar was instrumental in construction of a theme park in this area. He also managed the Matoshree club, headed by Waikar.


Since the Shiv Sena (UBT) has maintained that it has cut off all the options to reunite with the BJP Thackeray’s strategy in Mumbai will be crucial. Mumbai has traditionally been a strong bastion of Uddhav Thackeray but will it continue to be so, remains another big question. Among the key constituencies that are need to be watched in Mumbai region is the Worli constituency seat.


Dadar has been a traditional stronghold of the Shiv Sena right from its conception has been facing competition from the MNS. The latter has secured deep inroads in Dadar securing five seats of BMC in the last elections.


This time round Amit, Raj Thackeray’s son will be contesting from Mahim, Dadar’s adjoining constituency which was earlier won by MNS heavy weight senior leader Nitin Sardesai, who is a resident of Shivaji Park and exercises a sufficient clout over voters’ mind that ensures Amit Thackeray’s significant achievement in that constituency.

Comments

bottom of page