Mumbai: Fresh tensions have surfaced within Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) victory in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, as Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction pushes for a share in the prestigious mayoral post.
The BMC polls, held on January 15 with results declared on January 16, marked a historic shift, ending the Thackeray family’s nearly 25-30-year dominance over Asia’s richest civic body. The BJP-Shinde Shiv Sena combine secured a comfortable majority with 118 seats out of 227, surpassing the halfway mark of 114. The BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats, while Shinde’s Shiv Sena won 29.
Amid celebrations, including widespread posters hailing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as “Dhurandhar Devendra” (a warrior-like leader), the spotlight has turned to the mayoral election. Shinde’s camp has proposed a “ढाई-ढाई” (half-half) formula — demanding the mayor’s position for the first 2.5 years of the five-year term under the Shiv Sena banner — leveraging their role as key allies that helped the BJP break into Mumbai’s civic stronghold.
To strengthen their bargaining position, Shinde’s newly-elected corporators have been moved to a luxury hotel in Bandra under tight security for three days, a tactic reminiscent of “hotel politics” to prevent any poaching or internal discord.
Senior leaders from both sides expect to hold discussions soon, even though the BJP has not yet agreed to the split-term demand. CM Fadnavis has maintained that the mayor will be from the Mahayuti alliance and will be a Hindu and Marathi-speaking figure, with decisions to be taken collectively.
This internal tussle highlights the delicate balance of power in the Mahayuti coalition, even as it celebrates a landmark triumph in Mumbai.