In the aftermath of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has indicated that the new Mayor of Mumbai will be chosen from the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP and his Shiv Sena faction. Shinde’s comments came after he met with his newly elected corporators, who have been staying at a hotel amid ongoing power-sharing negotiations within the alliance.
The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats in the 227-member BMC house but would need the 29 seats won by Shinde’s Shiv Sena to cross the halfway mark of 114. This balance of power gives both partners leverage as they discuss who will occupy key posts in Asia’s richest civic body.
Shinde denied opposition claims that his corporators were being kept under surveillance to prevent defections, framing the hotel gathering as an orientation session for new members instead. He reiterated that the alliance remains strong and that decisions about leadership roles, including the mayoralty, will be taken once top leaders — including BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis — are available to participate in talks.
Formal procedures to determine the mayoral category — such as whether the post will be reserved for a woman, OBC or SC candidate — will be completed before the final selection is made.
