Mumbai Mayor elections: Shivsena and BJP lock horns over one-year term demand

Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): The BJP and Shiv Sena achieved significant success in the recently concluded municipal elections in Maharashtra. The alliance of the two parties also won the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), but the suspense over the mayor's post remains. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has accommodated its 29 newly elected councilors in a Mumbai hotel. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also met with the councilors and reviewed the situation.

The Mumbai mayoral election is a mess, with the Shiv Sena initially demanding a one-year term for the position, while the BJP also issued a significant mandate to councillors : Amid the ongoing discussions regarding the post of Mayor of Mumbai, an important political signal has emerged. According to sources, Shiv Sena has put forward a one-year formula for the post of Mayor of BMC. The party wants that the post of Mayor should remain with Shiv Sena for the first year. Shiv Sena argues that 23rd January is the birth centenary of party chief Bal Thackeray and considering this occasion, the post of Mayor should be given to Shiv Sena for the first year. This is being seen as a tribute to Bal Thackeray. Earlier, Shiv Sena was demanding the post of Mayor for two and a half years each, but seeing that there was no consensus on this demand, the party has now proposed one year.

Sources say that the Shiv Sena is also arguing that it has always stood by the BJP in difficult situations at the central and state levels. Therefore, in the year of Bal Thackeray's birth centenary, in keeping with the alliance's dharma, a Shiv Sena member should be elected mayor for the first year, while the BJP should retain the mayoral post for the remaining four years.

Meanwhile, the BJP is also taking utmost precautions regarding the mayoral election. The Mumbai BJP has instructed all its newly elected councilors not to leave the city for the next 10 days. In case of any emergency, they must inform senior party leaders first.

In fact, the election of a new mayor is expected to take approximately eight to ten days. The BJP has 89 councillors, while the Shiv Sena has 29. The mayoral position requires the support of 114 councillors. The Mahayuti has only four votes more than the majority, so to avoid any potential losses, the BJP wants to keep all its councillors in Mumbai until the election.