The election for the mayor of India's richest civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), remains shrouded in uncertainty following the recent polls, as internal wrangling within the ruling Mahayuti alliance ‘reportedly’ intensifies. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction has relocated its 29 newly elected corporators to the luxurious Taj Lands End hotel in Bandra, a move aimed at safeguarding against potential poaching attempts by opposition parties.
The BMC elections, concluded on January 17, saw the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerge as the single largest party with 89 seats in the 227-member house. Its ally, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, secured 29 seats, giving the alliance a combined strength of 118 - just above the majority mark of 114. The opposition Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction clinched 65 seats, followed by Congress with 24, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) with 6, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) with 8, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with 3, Samajwadi Party (SP) with 2, and NCP (Sharad Pawar) with 1.
Despite the alliance's numerical edge, a power struggle has erupted between the BJP and the Shinde faction over the coveted mayor's position. Sources indicate that the BJP, buoyed by its strong performance, is pushing for one of its own to take the helm, viewing it as a strategic win. On the other hand, Shinde is advocating for a candidate from his camp to “uphold the legacy of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray”, who traditionally ensured a Marathi mayor for the city. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stated that the decision will be made collectively by alliance leaders, including himself and Shinde, but tensions are palpable as negotiations drag on.
The opposition has sharply criticised this infighting, labelling it a betrayal of public trust and a sign of instability within the ruling coalition. Uddhav Thackeray, head of the Shiv Sena (UBT), issued a cryptic challenge in a party editorial, questioning whether the tradition of 23 Marathi mayors from the undivided Shiv Sena would continue under the current regime. He dared Shinde, whom he accused of being "actually of the BJP," to prove his loyalty to the party's roots, while hinting that "real politics is yet to unfold." Thackeray also alleged that the elections were marred by money power, electronic voting machine manipulations, and undue pressure tactics, expressing regret for not campaigning more aggressively.
Shiv Sena UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray mocked the Shinde faction's resort politics, suggesting it stems from deep-seated fears of defection. "The BJP has built its empire by poaching allies and creating splinters; now their own are paranoid," he remarked. Other opposition figures echoed these sentiments, accusing the Mahayuti of prioritising power games over Mumbai's pressing issues like infrastructure, flooding, and public health.
This episode revives memories of Maharashtra's turbulent political history, including Shinde's 2022 rebellion that toppled Thackeray's government and realigned the Shiv Sena with the BJP. With the opposition needing just eight crossovers to challenge the majority, the hotel sequestration underscores the fragility of the alliance. As Mumbai awaits the mayor's election, expected in the coming weeks, the focus remains on whether the BJP-Shinde tussle will resolve amicably or escalate into a broader rift.
