Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday asserted that Mumbai would have a Mahayuti Mayor, saying voters had decisively chosen development over what he described as “emotional issues”, in a clear swipe at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).
Shinde made the remarks after interacting with newly elected Shiv Sena corporators of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), who were moved to a hotel following the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance securing a narrow majority in the civic polls.
“Mumbai will have a Mahayuti Mayor. Even neighbouring cities like Kalyan-Dombivli will have a Mahayuti Mayor,” Shinde told reporters.
His assertion came amid speculation over the decision to shift 29 corporators-designate to a hotel, prompting Opposition allegations of efforts to prevent poaching. Dismissing the charge, Shinde said the move was organisational in nature.
“The new corporators will get a common platform to interact at the hotel. I wanted to meet them as we are registering the group of 29 corporators with the Konkan divisional commissioner,” he said, adding that the Shiv Sena was fearless.
Taking a dig at the Shiv Sena (UBT), Shinde said people had rejected those who opposed development. “People have rejected the Shiv Sena (UBT) and those who oppose development,” he said while addressing the newly elected members.
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He urged the corporators to prepare ward-specific development action plans and ensure their constituencies emerged as model wards, cautioning them against any conduct that could tarnish the party’s image.
Senior Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant said the civic elections were contested as part of the Mahayuti alliance and ruled out any deviation from the coalition line.
“The Shiv Sena will not do what the earlier Shiv Sena [headed by Uddhav Thackeray when he allied with the Congress after the 2019 polls] did,” Samant said.
Responding to questions on demands for the Mayor’s post from within the party, he said, “Every party wants the main post, and Bal Thackeray's [birth] centenary year gives that demand a different dimension.”
In the 227-member BMC, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, followed by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena with 29. The Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 65 seats, while its ally, the MNS, won six.
Shinde described the civic poll outcome as a precursor to the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections and urged party members to follow up on initiatives such as the ‘pagdi-free Mumbai’ scheme to accelerate stalled redevelopment projects.
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