Mumbai, Jan 19 (PTI) Citing emotions of Shivsainiks, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday hinted at Shiv Sena’s claim to the Mumbai mayor’s post, projecting it as a mark of respect to Bal Thackeray in his birth centenary year amid a reported tussle with ally BJP.
Aware of the political interpretations of his remarks, Shinde attributed the demand to a section of Sena workers, emphasising that Mumbai will have a Mahayuti mayor.
Similarly, mayors of the Mahayuti alliance will be installed in those civic bodies where the Shiv Sena and BJP had contested the elections together, he told reporters.
“Balasaheb Thackeray’s birth centenary year starts from January 23. Some Shivsainiks (party activists) have the feeling that a Shiv Sena mayor should be installed in the BMC,” he said.
He stressed that the Shiv Sena would not take any decision that goes against the people’s mandate, emphasising that the Shiv Sena and BJP had fought the Mumbai civic elections as an alliance.
Amid a debate over the exact motive behind Shiv Sena shifting its newly elected members to a posh hotel in Mumbai, Shinde scotched reports of new political equations emerging in Mumbai or elsewhere in Maharashtra.
It is speculated that Shinde is keen to secure the BMC mayor’s post for the Shiv Sena—at least for the first two-and-a-half years—since it is the birth centenary year of party founder late Bal Thackeray.
Officially, the Shiv Sena maintains that the newly elected members were shifted to the hotel for an orientation workshop about the functioning of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
The move followed the declaration of the BMC poll results last week, which showed that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena had emerged as the second largest party after the BJP by winning 65 seats.
The BJP won 89 seats and its ally, the Shiv Sena, 29, handing the Mahayuti combine a narrow majority in the 227-member BMC.
Though largely ceremonial, the Mumbai mayor’s post is a symbol of the political dominance of the governing party. The mayor presides over key civic meetings of the country’s richest civic body.
Amid deepening suspense over who will don the crown of mayor, the Maharashtra government has scheduled the lottery for mayoral reservation covering Mumbai and 28 other civic bodies for January 22.
The Urban Development Department has issued an order stating that the draw of lots will be held at the state secretariat.
In Maharashtra, mayors are elected by corporators, and the post is subject to reservation by rotation.
The lottery determines the category for which the mayor’s post will be reserved, such as general, women, SC, ST, and OBC categories. Once the category is announced, eligible candidates file their nominations.
Playing up the purported internal tussle between Shiv Sena and BJP over the post of Mumbai mayor, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed the BJP is also planning to shift its corporators to a safer location.
“Who is afraid of whom? You are the government. The chief minister is watching corporators being shifted while attending the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos (Switzerland). It is amusing,” Raut told reporters.
While Shinde’s moves are keenly watched, sources in Shiv Sena claimed that the Deputy CM is aware his party will not get the post and he hasn’t broached the topic with the BJP leadership.
“Shiv Sainiks wish that the party should have its own mayor since it is the birth centenary year of Balasaheb Thackeray. Even though Shinde is aware that the BJP will not accept the demand for a Sena mayor, there is no harm if there is a public discussion. Shinde can’t be seen as a leader on the back foot. At least the party can get some other important committees,” a close associate of Shinde said.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam stated the next mayor of Mumbai would be from the ruling Mahayuti alliance and ruled out the possibility of the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate getting the post, days after Thackeray’s “God willing” remark on his party getting the mayor’s position caused a stir.
Harshal Pradhan, spokesperson of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, said the BJP and Shinde are power-hungry.
He said they should fight their internal battles among themselves and refrain from dragging Sena (UBT) into the political game. PTI ND MR GK NSK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.