Mumbai Mayor Race Heats Up As Shinde Moves Corporators To Hotel Amid Tight BMC Numbers

The race for the mayor’s post in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), India’s wealthiest civic body, has reignited familiar scenes from Maharashtra politics, marked by slim majorities, political brinkmanship, and strategic gatherings. The BJP–Shiv Sena alliance led by Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde has crossed the halfway mark in the 227-member civic house by a narrow margin, setting off a fresh round of political churn.

Soon after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray hinted that his faction could still claim the mayor’s chair, Shinde shifted his party’s 29 newly elected corporators to a luxury hotel in Bandra. On Sunday night, Shinde met the corporators at Taj Land’s End, asserting that the outcome of the mayoral election was already decided and that Mumbai would get a Mahayuti mayor. He also suggested that similar results would follow in nearby civic bodies such as Kalyan-Dombivli.

The Shinde-led Sena has maintained that the hotel stay is part of a three-day orientation programme for first-time corporators, most of whom are new entrants, ahead of their formal registration with the Konkan divisional commissioner. Opposition parties, however, remain sceptical. With the BJP emerging as the single-largest party with 89 seats and Shinde’s faction adding 29, the alliance’s total stands at 118—just four seats above the majority mark. Given the tight arithmetic, even minor defections could influence the mayoral vote, prompting concerns within the ruling camp.

Opposition leaders allege that the Bandra gathering is a cover for negotiations with the BJP over the mayor’s post. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut sharpened the attack by likening the hotel to a “jail” and demanding that the corporators be “freed,” claiming Shinde fears losing control over his legislators despite holding the deputy chief minister’s post. Shinde dismissed the allegations, countering that his party had nothing to fear and hinting that it could instead be opposition corporators who go missing on voting day. Industry minister Uday Samant echoed this sentiment, suggesting abstentions or cross-voting could still produce surprises.

Under BMC rules, the mayor is elected by corporators, with the ruling side deciding its nominee. While the Mahayuti alliance technically has the numbers, the slender buffer has kept tensions high. The opposition points out that even a combined front of Sena (UBT), Congress, MNS, and other parties would fall short, though not by a wide margin.

Shinde’s faction has stressed that the civic elections were fought as an alliance and argues that each partner naturally aspires to lead the civic body. Party leaders have also highlighted the symbolic importance of the upcoming birth centenary of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray to strengthen their claim. Within the BJP, meanwhile, there is quiet introspection after the party failed to secure a clear majority on its own, with leaders citing coordination issues, candidate selection, and the opposition’s appeal to Marathi identity as contributing factors.

Despite losing control of the civic body, Uddhav Thackeray has kept speculation alive by suggesting that his party could still secure the mayor’s post “if God is willing,” a remark that drew a light-hearted response from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Opposition leaders continue to argue that the numbers would have looked very different had the Shiv Sena not split, but for now, the balance of power—and tightly guarded corporators—appears to favour the ruling alliance.