Shinde: Mahayuti to crown Mumbai’s mayor after meeting new corporators

Mumbai will have a Mahayuti mayor, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde said after interacting with newly-elected Shiv Sena members of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The corporators, who have been shifted to a hotel, were brought together as the BJP–Sena alliance pressed its majority in the 227-seat civic body. Shinde noted that voters chose development over emotional issues and predicted that not just Mumbai, but nearby cities like Kalyan-Dombivli, would also see a Mahayuti mayor.

He rejected allegations that the corporators are being kept under watch, insisting the group of 29 will have a common platform to interact and that they are being officially registered with the Konkan divisional commissioner. The assertion comes amid ongoing speculation about the coalition’s strategy for the next BMC mayor and the larger political chess game in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, party leaders stressed that the civic body polls were fought under a Mahayuti banner, and internal demands for the post are part of a larger party calculus. Uday Samant, a Shiv Sena leader and minister, insisted the party will not repeat past actions and hinted at the centenary year of Bal Thackeray adding a new dimension to the contest. Analysts note that while the date is still awaited, the process for choosing the mayor is set to unfold with the election by corporators on a later date, potentially influenced by nominated members and reservation norms.

The Times of India has outlined that the next BMC mayor will be elected by corporators on January 28, 2026, after a lottery determines the post’s reservation category. The candidate with the most votes will win, with nominated corporators possibly swaying the outcome in the 227-member House. As Mumbai braces for the vote, the interplay between development promises and political maneuvering remains at the top of the city’s agenda.

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