Suspense over Mumbai Mayor’s post, Shinde’s corporators moved to luxury hotel

Mumbai: The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Saturday, January 17, shifted its newly elected corporators in Mumbai to a luxury hotel in the city amid suspense over who would become the next Mayor.

Uddhav Thackeray, whose Shiv Sena (UBT) is the second single largest party, added to speculation by saying his party could have its Mayor if “Dev” (God) was willing. He also suggested that Shinde’s party was scared of poaching attempts by its ally BJP.

The alliance of the BJP and Shinde-led Sena won a clear majority in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Friday, securing 89 and 29 seats, respectively. The Sena (UBT) won 65 seats.

A senior leader of Shinde’s party said the corporators were being moved to a luxury hotel in Bandra so that they can “refresh” themselves after a hectic election season.

Another party functionary said the corporators would undergo “orientation”, and will be housed in the hotel for a couple of days.

Earlier in the day, Uddhav Thackeray said the BJP failed to finish off his party which had ruled the BMC for 25 years.

“It’s my dream to install a Shiv Sena (UBT) mayor in Mumbai, and if God is willing, this dream will be realised,” he said, interacting with party workers.

Asked about reports about Shinde-led Sena’s corporators moving to a hotel, Thackeray said they were afraid of the BJP. “Those who had once abandoned a party can do it again,” he said, referring to the Shinde faction breaking away from the undivided Shiv Sena in June 2022.

Reacting to Thackeray’s statement about his party getting the Mayor’s post, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis jocularly asked whether by `Deva’ his former ally was referring to him or the “God above”. “I am also called `Deva’, hence I am asking,” Fadnavis said, drawing laughter from his supporters.

“God above has decided that there will be a Mahayuti Mayor,” the CM added.

Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the opposition has a sizable number of corporators. “We can topple them from the chair anytime, but we respect democracy,” he said.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which contested the polls in alliance with the Sena (UBT), won six seats in the elections, while the Congress, which had tied up with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), bagged 24. AIMIM won 8, NCP 3, Samajwadi Party 2, and NCP (SP) got just one seat.