Last week, the Election Commission dropped the hammer and declared that the real Shiv Sena belongs to Eknath Shinde, the Maharashtra chief minister, allowing him to use the party's election symbol, the bow and arrow. While this decision has sparked discussions about the future of Uddhav Thackeray, it has also paved the way for the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Mumbai. Given the recent political upheavals in Maharashtra, it's safe to say that these elections will be like no other.
In the previous election in 2017, the BJP was only three seats shy of securing the coveted Mayor's chair. The Shiv Sena won 84 seats, while the BJP won 82 seats, with both parties running separately despite being allies in the state government. The BJP attempted to win over seven corporators from Raj Thackeray's party, but the Shiv Sena caught wind of their plan. After a meeting between the senior leaders of both parties, the BJP backed down, hoping to form an alliance with the Shiv Sena in the 2019 parliamentary and Vidhan Sabha elections. The BJP was willing to sacrifice the Mumbai mayor's chair for a larger political gain. However, after the results of the Vidhan Sabha polls were announced, the two parties went separate ways.
This time around, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned in their bid to secure the crown of Mumbai, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as their ace in the hole. Modi has already visited Mumbai twice in the last 20-odd days, touring various infrastructure and transport projects and touting the transformative impact of his party's governance. When the elections are announced, the BJP plans to airdrop all their top brass into Mumbai for the campaign, much like what they did during the last Hyderabad Municipal Corporation polls. The party is also working hard to woo north Indians, who represent a significant voting bloc. Prominent Congress leaders from the north Indian community, such as Kripashanker Singh and Rajhuns Singh, have already jumped ship and joined the BJP.
Existential Threat For Uddhav Thackeray
For Uddhav Thackeray, these elections represent an existential threat, as it will determine the relevance of the family in Maharashtra politics. With his party losing its name and symbol, Thackeray is expected to lean on an anticipated sympathy wave. After ruling the Mumbai Municipal Corporation for around three decades, these polls will be a tightrope walk for Thackeray, as many of his leaders have defected to rival Eknath Shinde's camp after facing cases from central agencies.
Also in the fray is Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). In the previous elections, the party only managed to win seven seats, with six of its corporators jumping ship to the Shiv Sena. This time around, the party is hoping for a revival, with the tacit support of the BJP. The BJP could benefit from the division of Marathi votes in seats where MNS and Shiv Sena-UBT candidates are in a direct fight.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is India's wealthiest civic body, with a budget greater than that of some small Indian states. The election dates are expected to be announced soon.
(Bombayphile is published every Saturday where Jitendra Dixit writes about past and present of Mumbai.)
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