Shiv Sena Forges New Alliance with NCP Factions in Mumbai Civic Body
In a strategic move ahead of the mayoral elections, the Shiv Sena has officially formed a single party bloc with both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. This development is poised to significantly alter the political landscape of Mumbai's civic governance, potentially weakening the opposition Shiv Sena UBT's influence in critical municipal committees.
Bloc Registration and Immediate Implications
Registered on Tuesday afternoon at the Konkan divisional commissioner's office as the Shiv Sena Group, this new entity will be treated as a unified party for representation in statutory committees. Shiv Sena corporator Ameya Ghole from Dadar has been appointed as the group leader. Ghole emphasized that despite this new alignment, the Shiv Sena will continue to operate as part of the Mahayuti alliance with the BJP, supporting joint decisions in all civic matters.
The formation of this bloc consolidates the Shiv Sena's 29 seats with the NCP's three seats and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP)'s one seat, bringing the group's total strength to 33 corporators. In contrast, the Shiv Sena UBT holds 65 seats, and the Congress has 24. This consolidation is expected to directly impact the allocation of seats in powerful committees like the standing and improvement committees, where representation is proportional to party strength.
Revised Committee Compositions and Power Shifts
Prior to the bloc's formation, the 26-member standing and improvement committees were distributed as follows: BJP with 10 seats, Shiv Sena with 3, Sena UBT with 8, Congress with 3, and AIMIM with 1. With the new Sena-NCP bloc, the revised composition is anticipated to be BJP 10, Sena-NCP bloc 4, Sena UBT 7, Congress 3, and AIMIM 1. The standing committee, responsible for financial approvals and major civic projects, and the improvement committee, overseeing infrastructure upgrades, are crucial bodies in the BMC. This shift may disrupt the previous balance where the ruling Mahayuti and opposition were evenly split, potentially allowing for more unilateral control.
Impact on Nominated Corporators and Broader Political Effects
The move also extends to the allocation of nominated corporators, dealing a significant blow to AIMIM and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. Under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, eight corporators can be nominated based on party strength. Before the bloc, the distribution was BJP 4, Sena UBT 3, Congress 1, MNS 1, and AIMIM 1. Post-formation, the expected allocation is BJP 4, Sena-NCP bloc 2, Sena UBT 3, and Congress 1, leaving AIMIM and MNS without any nominated representation. This could marginalize these parties in civic decision-making processes.
This strategic alliance underscores the evolving dynamics in Mumbai's political arena, as parties maneuver to strengthen their positions ahead of key elections. The Shiv Sena's decision to align with NCP factions while maintaining its Mahayuti ties reflects a complex balancing act aimed at maximizing influence in the city's governance structures.
