Mumbai: As Mumbai’s civic politics enters a tense and uncertain phase, fresh political buzz has been triggered by reports suggesting informal communication between Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in the aftermath of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election results.
The recently concluded BMC polls have delivered a fractured mandate, with none of the major parties crossing the halfway mark of 114 seats in the 227-member civic house. Although the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as the single largest party, the lack of a clear majority has opened the door to intense negotiations and political maneuvering over the formation of the civic administration and the highly influential mayor’s post.
According to reports, discreet exchanges between Fadnavis and Thackeray have taken place, setting off widespread speculation across Maharashtra’s political circles. While neither leader has publicly acknowledged such talks, the very possibility of dialogue has surprised observers, given the prolonged political hostility between the BJP and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena UBT since the party split.
At the same time, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is said to be taking no chances. The Shiv Sena faction led by him has reportedly moved its newly elected corporators to a luxury hotel in Bandra, a step widely interpreted as an attempt to maintain unity and guard against potential defections during this volatile phase.
