Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde asked all newly elected corporators from his faction of the Shiv Sena to assemble at a five-star hotel in Mumbai, signalling heightened political caution as negotiations over control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) gathered pace.
According to party members, the 29 corporators elected on the Shinde Sena ticket were instructed to report to the Taj Lands End in Bandra by Wednesday afternoon and stay put for three days. The move, leaders said, was aimed at insulating the group from possible poaching attempts during the sensitive post-election phase, when alliances and leadership positions in India’s wealthiest civic body are being finalised.
Shinde’s Camp Plays Safe Amid Tight Arithmetic
With 29 seats, Shinde’s faction has emerged as a crucial ally for the Bharatiya Janata Party, which fell short of a clear majority on its own. Leaders close to Shinde indicated that keeping corporators together was a precautionary step until a formal claim to power is made and key posts, including the mayor’s position, are settled.
The strategy reflects the fragile numbers in the BMC, where even a small shift could alter the balance of power. While the BJP and Shinde Sena together cross the majority mark, the margin is slim enough to keep political tensions alive.
Resort Politics Makes A Familiar Comeback
The decision has revived memories of “resort politics” that Maharashtra has witnessed repeatedly over the past decade. Political parties in the state have often housed elected representatives in hotels or resorts to prevent defections at critical moments.
Similar scenes played out after the 2019 Assembly election stalemate, when the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP kept their MLAs in hotels across Mumbai. In 2022, during the dramatic Shiv Sena split, legislators loyal to Shinde were moved to Surat, Guwahati and later Goa as the rebellion unfolded.
Numbers That Keep Nerves On Edge
The BMC has 227 seats, with the majority mark at 114. The BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats, while Shinde’s faction added 29, taking the ruling alliance’s total to 118—just four seats above the halfway line.
On the Opposition benches, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said his ambition of seeing a Sena (UBT) mayor in Mumbai was still alive, hinting that political equations could yet change, though he stopped short of explaining how.
Opposition Jabs & BJP’s Missed Targets
Congress leaders criticised Shinde’s decision to sequester corporators, questioning why an ally of the BJP would fear poaching. They pointed to the BJP’s history of expanding by absorbing allies and splinter groups in states such as Maharashtra and Bihar, suggesting that Shinde should be wary of his own standing within the alliance.
Within the BJP, the BMC outcome was more muted than expected. Before seat-sharing talks, the party had aimed to contest over 155 wards and hoped to win around 120–125 seats. After negotiations with Shinde, the BJP settled for 137 seats to contest but eventually won only 89, even after inducting 11 sitting corporators from other parties.
A Mixed Verdict For Shinde
The results ended the Thackeray family’s decades-long grip on the BMC and marked the BJP’s best-ever performance under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, improving on its 2017 tally of 82 seats. Shinde’s 29 seats proved decisive in giving the Mahayuti alliance a majority.
Yet the outcome also highlighted Shinde’s challenge in reclaiming the Shiv Sena’s traditional Mumbai base. While his faction won 29 seats, Uddhav Thackeray’s group secured 65—down from 84 in 2017, but still well ahead of Shinde’s tally.
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