The battle for the mayor’s post in Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), India’s richest civic body, has brought back familiar scenes from Maharashtra politics. These include close numbers, intense negotiations, and elected representatives being housed in hotels. The BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde have narrowly crossed the majority mark, setting the stage for a tense mayoral contest.

At the heart of the developments is Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. On Sunday night, he met 29 newly elected corporators from his party who are staying at a luxury hotel in Bandra. Shinde described the outcome as a certainty and said Mumbai would soon get a Mahayuti mayor. He also claimed that nearby civic bodies, including Kalyan-Dombivli, would see similar results.

Why Are Corporators Staying in a Hotel?

The Shiv Sena led by Shinde has explained that the stay is part of a three-day orientation programme. Out of the 29 corporators, 20 are entering civic politics for the first time. The party said the programme is being held before their formal registration with the Konkan divisional commissioner.

However, opposition parties remain sceptical. They believe the real aim is to prevent last-minute defections ahead of the mayoral vote.

The BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats in the 227-member BMC House. Shinde’s Sena won 29 seats. Together, the Mahayuti alliance has 118 corporators, just four more than the majority mark of 114. With such a slim margin, even one or two defections could upset the numbers.

Senior Sena leaders privately admit that keeping corporators together is also a way to protect them from poaching by rivals.

Opposition Alleges Bargaining, Uses Sharp Language

The opposition Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray has accused the Shinde faction of using the hotel stay to bargain with the BJP over the mayor’s post. Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut took a sharp swipe, calling the hotel a “jail” and demanding that corporators be “released.” He claimed that Shinde, despite being deputy chief minister, was worried about losing the support of his own members.

Shinde dismissed these allegations. He said his party was “fearless” and turned the attack back on the opposition. He hinted that it could be opposition corporators who might go “untraceable” on voting day. Industry minister Uday Samant supported this view, suggesting there could be abstentions or cross-voting that may surprise many.

Mayor Election Hinges on Fragile Numbers

The BMC mayor is chosen through a vote by corporators, with the ruling alliance deciding the candidate. Although the Mahayuti has crossed the majority line, the small cushion has kept tensions high.

Opposition leaders argue that even if parties like Sena (UBT), MNS, Congress and others came together, they would still fall short of forming the civic leadership, though by a narrow margin.

The Shinde-led Sena insists the election was fought as an alliance and says every partner has a legitimate claim to the mayor’s chair. Party insiders also point to the upcoming birth centenary of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, saying it adds symbolic weight to their demand.

BJP Reflects on Missed Majority

Within the BJP, there is quiet disappointment. The party had hoped for a stronger performance but fell short of an absolute majority after revised seat-sharing with the Sena. Leaders have blamed coordination issues, candidate selection problems, and the opposition’s strong “Marathi manoos” campaign for the lower-than-expected seat count.

Uddhav Thackeray Keeps Hopes Alive

Despite losing control of the BMC, Uddhav Thackeray has not completely shut the door. He said his party could still get the mayor’s post “if God is willing.” This comment drew a light-hearted response from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who joked about whether “Deva” referred to him or to God.

Opposition leaders argue that if the Shiv Sena had not split, the combined strength of both factions would have exceeded the BJP’s tally. For now, however, the numbers and the guarded corporators give the advantage to the Mahayuti.