Mumbai's Mayor Position Hangs in Balance After BMC Poll Results
Mumbai continues to wait for a new mayor. The results for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections are now public. India's wealthiest civic body finds itself without a clear leader. In the nation's financial capital, familiar patterns of Maharashtra politics are playing out once again.
Winning corporators are being rounded up. Some are staying in hotels. Number crunching dominates discussions. Sharp political exchanges fill the air. The BMC, long seen as a Thackeray stronghold, delivered a mixed verdict this time.
BJP Emerges as Single Largest Party
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray came together after years of rivalry. Despite their alliance, Mumbai voters chose differently. The BJP failed to secure an outright majority. However, it emerged as the single largest party.
This outcome dented the traditional "Marathi manoos" narrative. The BJP gained a decisive edge in the negotiations. A significant chunk of bargaining power went to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. This faction becomes a key player in the mayoral race.
The BJP recorded its best-ever performance in BMC elections. It won 89 wards. This victory continues its winning momentum after recent successes in Bihar. Shiv Sena (UBT) came second with 65 wards. It lost many of its traditional strongholds.
The Shinde-led Sena, a BJP ally, won 29 wards. Congress followed with 24 wards. AIMIM secured eight wards. Raj Thackeray's MNS won six. The NCP took three wards. Samajwadi Party claimed two. NCP (SP) managed one ward.
Shinde Sena Eyes Mayor's Chair
Suspense continues over who will become Mumbai's mayor. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena wants the mayor's post. It aims to secure it for at least the first two and a half years.
On Saturday, the party moved its newly elected corporators to a luxury hotel in Mumbai. Sanjay Raut identified it as the Taj Lands End. This move fueled fresh speculation about political maneuvers.
Party leaders explained their actions. They said the move helped corporators relax after the polls. It also allowed them to attend orientation sessions. Shinde felicitated the winners personally.
Corporator Amey Ghole shared details. He said Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would brief them. The briefing would cover Mumbai's development plans. It would discuss manifesto implementation. A five-year roadmap would also be presented.
Sena leaders made their position clear. Since the BJP lacks the numbers to elect a mayor alone, the post must be shared. They stated the Shinde Sena would demand the first two and a half year term as part of power-sharing.
Fadnavis Dismisses Talk of Discord
Amid intense speculation about the mayor's name, reports suggested tensions within the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed any talk of discord completely.
Fadnavis rejected rumors of infighting or poaching. He declared Mumbai would have a consensus "Mahayuti mayor." The chief minister outlined the process clearly.
"Eknath Shinde, I, and other leaders from both parties will meet," Fadnavis said. "We will jointly decide who will be the Mumbai mayor and for how long. There will be no differences. Everything will go smoothly. Together, we will run Mumbai efficiently."
UBT Questions Legitimacy of Mahayuti Mayor
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena highlighted cracks within the ruling alliance. It strongly questioned the legitimacy of a Mahayuti mayor. The party argued neither the BJP nor the Shinde Sena has a clear majority independently.
UBT spokesperson Sanjay Raut questioned the BJP's claim to the mayor's post directly. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants a BJP mayor, but he has not explained how," Raut said. "The BJP does not have a complete mandate."
Raut also made serious allegations. He claimed Shinde Sena corporators were being confined in a hotel. "They are being kept at the Taj Lands End almost like prisoners," he stated. "The hotel has turned into a jail. Despite having power at the Centre and a strong chief minister in Maharashtra, why are they so afraid?"
Uddhav Thackeray Strikes Defiant Tone
Amid the continuing suspense, UBT Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray struck a defiant tone. He took a swipe at former colleague Eknath Shinde, now a rival and deputy chief minister. Thackeray alleged his faction was afraid of the BJP.
Addressing newly elected corporators at Matoshree, Uddhav made strong statements. He said the BJP might claim it finished Shiv Sena on paper. However, it failed to do so on the ground. "They cannot buy loyalty despite using all possible means," he declared.
Thackeray accused the BJP of winning through "betrayal." He alleged the party wanted to "mortgage Mumbai." "The BJP won by betrayal, and the Marathi manoos will not forgive this sin," he asserted.
The former chief minister shared his party's dream. He said it remained their goal to have a Shiv Sena (UBT) mayor elected. "With God's grace, it will happen," he added with conviction.
BJP's Community Engineering Strategy Pays Off
More than sixty percent of the BJP's eighty-nine newly elected BMC corporators are Marathis. Fifty-four corporators belong to this community. This suggests identity continues to shape Mumbai politics significantly.
The party said the results showed strong backing from the Marathi community. This support came despite high-decibel nativist campaigns by Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS. The BJP credited its "community engineering" strategy for these gains.
Of the remaining corporators, fourteen are Gujaratis. Ten come from north India. Winners also represent Sindhi-Punjabi and south Indian communities. This reflects the BJP's broad outreach across Mumbai's diverse population.
Mumbai BJP chief MLA Ameet Satam explained their approach. He said the party's "Hindutva" pitch proved effective. It was backed by micro-level planning and targeted community outreach. This strategy helped break into linguistic vote banks while retaining traditional support.
Thackeray Brand Tested in Elections
Political observers analyzed the election results carefully. The polls tested the Thackeray brand after Uddhav and Raj Thackeray joined hands. While some Marathi voters stayed with them, analysts noted limitations.
The "Marathi manoos" narrative had limited impact overall. The BJP successfully drew away a section of these voters. Mumbai's political landscape continues evolving as negotiations for the mayor's post proceed behind closed doors.
