One Phone Call, Many Questions: Mayor Race Takes New Turn in Mumbai

With just two days remaining before the term of Mumbai’s incumbent Mayor ends, and 11 days after the election results were declared, the city is still without a new Mayor. Political activity within the ruling alliance has intensified, with a sharp power struggle unfolding between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena over control of the Mayor’s post and the crucial Standing Committee chairmanship.

Against this backdrop, on Tuesday, corporators from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena initially rejected the BJP’s proposal for a joint group registration in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). However, following a phone call, the decision was reversed and the plan was cancelled by the Shinde camp.

All 29 corporators were ready with a bus at the party office in Mumbai to proceed with separate registration, but after the call, they decided against going solo. According to sources, corporators from both parties will now visit Konkan Bhavan in Belapur on Wednesday for joint registration to demonstrate their combined strength in the BMC.

The BJP is keen to secure the Mayor’s post in Mumbai, citing its numerical strength in the civic body. However, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena has insisted that the Mayor’s post should remain with them for the first two-and-a-half years of the term. This demand has prevented any consensus between the two allies.

Meanwhile, even as tensions simmer in Mumbai, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s decision to skip the cabinet meeting and leave for his native village in Satara is being viewed as a signal of displeasure over the BJP’s stance.

A few days ago, Shinde had accommodated his corporators in a hotel, a move that reportedly upset senior BJP leaders in Delhi. They are said to have instructed Devendra Fadnavis not to compromise on the Mayor’s post. On the other hand, the Shinde faction remains firm on its demand for the Mayor’s position during the initial half of the term, further deepening the impasse.

The last date for filing nominations for the Mayor’s post is January 28, while the election will be held on January 31. With the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) opting for separate registration earlier, pressure on the BJP had increased. If the allies fail to arrive at a compromise, the Mayor’s election in Mumbai is expected to turn highly dramatic. The election will be conducted on January 31 under the chairmanship of Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani.

The magic number required to form power in the BMC is 114. While the BJP has 89 corporators, the Shinde faction commands the support of 29. Without backing from the Shinde camp, it will be difficult for the BJP to install its Mayor.

All eyes are now on whether Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde will meet in the next two days and whether those talks will yield a breakthrough on the Mayor’s post.
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