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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.

Unity Imperative

Updated: Jan 17, 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to Mahayuti legislators in Mumbai was more than a standard call to governance, being a calculated reminder of the alliance’s responsibility to its overwhelming mandate in Maharashtra. Speaking to representatives of the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP, Modi underscored the virtues of unity, grassroots engagement and a cohesive governance approach. His message, which comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions within the Mahayuti triggered by the Beed sarpanch murder case, sought to refocus the alliance on its electoral promise of stability and effective leadership.


The Mahayuti alliance’s triumph in last year’s assembly polls, winning 230 out of 288 seats, came with a mandate that promised transformation. However, internal rifts and public controversies have recently cast shadows over its performance. Modi’s pointed remarks reflect the urgency of addressing these challenges before they fester into crises.


His blueprint for action revolved around the core principles of accessibility, collaboration and community trust whilst pointedly urging MLAs to transcend partisan divides.


A central theme of the meeting was the imperative for unity within the alliance. The Prime Minister’s call for MLAs to collaborate across party lines, break bread together and resist factionalism was a direct response to the strains evident in recent weeks. The murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, which has reignited Maratha-OBC tensions in the state, exemplifies the political landmines threatening the alliance’s stability.

The prime suspect in Deshmukh’s murder is Walmik Karad, a close associate of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, who belongs to the Vanjari OBC community. The incident has sparked protests from Maratha leaders like BJP MLA Suresh Dhas, who has demanded Munde’s resignation while OBC stalwart Chhagan Bhujbal from the NCP has defended Munde, highlighting the fault lines within the alliance.


This conundrum underscores the precariousness of managing caste dynamics in Maharashtra where identity politics frequently dictates the political narrative. For Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the murder is turning out to be a litmus test of his ability to navigate competing pressures within the coalition while maintaining public confidence.


Modi’s insistence on internal cohesion was not merely rhetorical. He directly appealed to MLAs to eschew the blame game and avoid unnecessary criticism of their partners. The message was clear: the strength of the Mahayuti lies in its unity, and disunity risks squandering its mandate. With Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar already in the crosshairs due to his associate’s involvement, the controversy has the potential to snowball into a larger political headache if not managed deftly.


The Prime Minister’s address also carried a warning that the Mahayuti cannot afford to be complacent. The overwhelming victory of the Assembly polls must be a springboard for governance excellence, not an excuse for infighting or inertia. Modi’s message was a wake-up call—a reminder that governance, like politics, is ultimately about trust and trust, once lost, is hard to regain.

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