Mumbai, Jan 24: During the recently concluded elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Mahayuti promised good governance to Mumbaikars. However, even more than a week after the polls, the Mahayuti, comprising the BJP and the Shiv Sena (Shinde), has been unable to agree on a candidate for the mayor’s post.
BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) stake claim
Both parties are insisting that the post be allotted to one of their corporators. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis contends that since the BJP has emerged as the single largest party, the mayor’s post should go to it. However, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is firm that, during the centenary year of Bal Thackeray, the post should be held by a Shiv Sainik.
The differences between the two parties run deep. A round of talks was held by Shinde with the BJP’s national leadership in Delhi, but without success. The dispute has also extended to the chairmanship of the powerful Standing Committee.
Delay in registration of corporators
In fact, the two parties are yet to register their corporators and groups with the Konkan Divisional Commissioner’s office at Konkan Bhavan, as mandated under law. The delay is now set to push the crucial election for the Mayor of Mumbai to the first week of February.
Officials had earlier stated that the poll would be held on January 28. The lottery for the post has already been conducted, and the mayor’s post has been reserved for a woman from the general category.
Numbers favour Mahayuti, but talks stall
In the 227-member House, the magic figure to elect the mayor stands at 114. While the BJP has emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats and its alliance partner, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, has secured 29 seats — giving the Mahayuti a comfortable majority of 118 members — the ruling alliance is yet to formally register its corporators and groups. The delay has fuelled speculation over unresolved power-sharing negotiations between the BJP and the Shinde Sena.
According to party sources, the BJP is determined to finally realise its decades-old ambition of installing one of its own as Mayor of Mumbai, while also staking claim to the influential post of Standing Committee chairman, which commands financial control over the country’s richest civic body.
However, the Opposition’s numerical strength — 65 corporators from Shiv Sena (UBT), 24 from the Congress, and six from the MNS — has complicated the equation. With the numbers leaving little room for error, BJP leaders concede that any move to sideline the Shinde-led Shiv Sena could prove costly.
Next steps after CM’s return
Leaders from both alliance partners have earlier made it clear that the mayor’s post will remain with the Mahayuti. However, negotiations over the mayoral election and the broader power-sharing arrangement are expected to gather pace after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis returns to Mumbai from Davos, where he was attending the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and the Congress have already completed the registration of their groups and corporators.
Mumbai BJP unit chief Ameet Satam stated that the party will convene a meeting of its newly elected corporators within the next two to three days to elect a group leader and complete the group registration process with the Konkan Divisional Commissioner, a move expected to be completed by Tuesday.
Mayoral poll likely in February
The lottery draw for the reservation of the mayor’s post was completed on January 22, paving the way for the BMC to have a woman mayor from the general category. Civic sources said there is no mandatory provision requiring the mayor to be elected immediately after the declaration of results.
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Once all parties complete the registration of their corporators and groups and procedural formalities are concluded, the mayoral election can be held in the first week of February. Manjiri Deshpande, Municipal Secretary, was not available for comment.
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