Mumbai: With the battle for control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) entering a crucial phase, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is set to appoint the group leader of its 29 newly elected corporators on Monday. The move is seen as a strategic step to consolidate the party’s position and prevent any possibility of defections as negotiations over the mayor’s post gather pace.
According to reports, all newly elected corporators have been moved to the luxurious Taj Lands End Hotel in Mumbai's Bandra, where key meetings are underway. Alongside the appointment of the group leader, the party is completing all mandatory documentation related to the corporators to rule out any legal or political ambiguity.
Yamini Jadhav, Amey Ghole Among Front-runners
The group leader will play a pivotal role in coordinating with alliance partner BJP and in internal decision-making during the formation of the civic body. According to an NDTV report, names such as Yamini Jadhav, Trishna Vishwasrao and Amey Ghole, considered young but experienced leaders, are doing the rounds for the top responsibility, though no official confirmation has been made.
The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the 227-member BMC House with 89 seats, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena secured 29 seats. Together, the alliance comfortably crosses the majority mark with the tally at 118. However, the selection of the mayor remains a contentious issue, with both parties expected to stake a claim to the prestigious post.
For Shinde, securing key positions in the BMC, including the mayor’s chair, is politically important as it would strengthen his claim over the Shiv Sena legacy following the party split. The BJP, on the other hand, is keen on making history by installing its first mayor in Mumbai.
Sena UBT Attacks Shinde Over Hotel Politics
Opposition leaders have criticised the Sena’s move of housing corporators in a hotel, calling it 'hotel politics'. Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray remarked that such steps reflect mistrust within the ruling alliance, while Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut claimed that several Shinde Sena corporators were new faces and could still be influenced.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, said that discussions with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and alliance partners are ongoing and that a final decision on key civic posts will be taken collectively.
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