The fight for control over Mumbai’s most powerful civic post has entered a high-voltage phase, with fresh political manoeuvring threatening to upend equations within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Even after a clear numerical edge in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), cracks have begun to surface between alliance partners as negotiations over the mayor’s chair grow increasingly bitter.

According to senior political observers, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) is exploring unconventional strategies to counter the growing influence of the Eknath Shinde faction in Mumbai’s civic administration. While the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) together enjoy a slim majority in the House, UBT leaders believe the mayoral election could still be turned into a political flashpoint.

Sources familiar with internal discussions suggest that the Shinde-led Sena has pushed hard for the mayor’s post to remain with the party, at least during the first year of the new BMC term. This demand has reportedly triggered unease within alliance circles, especially as the BJP weighs its own long-term control over Mumbai’s civic machinery.

In response, the UBT camp is said to be considering a dramatic move inside the BMC House—one that could reduce the effective strength during voting and shift the balance of power. If implemented, such a tactic would not only complicate the mayoral arithmetic but also severely dent Shinde Sena’s negotiating strength, despite being part of the ruling coalition at the state level.

Though the UBT leadership has maintained official silence, sharp public comments from senior leader Sanjay Raut have added fuel to the fire. Launching a fierce attack, Raut warned that the election of a BJP-backed mayor would mark a dark chapter for the city.
“Mumbai has a memory. The day a BJP mayor or a traitor’s mayor is imposed, the city will remember it as a day of deep sorrow,” he said, drawing parallels with painful moments from the city’s past.

Raut also dismissed claims that the opposition camp is politically irrelevant. “Who said a mayor won’t be elected? We are watching every move. Politics is not only about numbers, it’s also about timing and intent,” he remarked, taking a swipe at rival leaders who are confident of victory.

Questioning the Shinde faction’s standing in Mumbai, Raut added, “Those boasting about a mayor should first count their own strength. The tiger is still alive, and the game is far from over.”