After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, political activity has increased sharply in Mumbai. Reports say the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has moved its newly elected corporators to a luxury hotel to stop any possible poaching before the mayoral election.
According to media reports, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde asked corporators from his party faction to stay together at a five-star hotel, reportedly the Taj Lands End in Bandra. They are expected to remain there for around three days until the mayor is chosen. Party leaders may also hold meetings at the hotel to keep the group united and avoid cross-voting. This move has once again brought back talk of “resort politics” in Maharashtra.
The mayor’s post in the BMC is very important, as the civic body controls large funds and major development projects. Because of this, political parties are keen to protect their numbers and secure power.
Speaking in Thane, his stronghold, Shinde said the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance had crossed the majority mark in the 227-member BMC. He claimed the alliance would get mayor posts not only in Mumbai but also in other municipal corporations across the state.
Shinde said the election results showed that people supported development-focused politics and rejected emotion-based campaigns. He thanked voters and said parties that ruled for many years without results had been voted out.
In Thane, the Shiv Sena won 75 seats, up from 67 earlier. The BJP won 28 seats, while the NCP, NCP (SP), AIMIM, and others shared the remaining seats. The Shiv Sena (UBT) managed to win only one seat.
Shinde also said the state government wants to turn Mumbai into a global financial and fintech hub. He added that the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance is based on shared ideology and is here to stay.
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