Independents become the new kingmakers in hung civic body
For the first time in the history of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation since 1990, there are possibilities of Shiv Sena losing power from the Asia's richest corporation. The mandate of Mumbaikars has been divided between Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The mandate has not gone in favour of either of these parties. This gives importance to the independent corporators who now have got more importance. This will also give rise to horsetrading by both Sena and BJP to seek support to stake claim to ruling the civic body.
Out of the 227 seats in BMC, Sena has won 84 whereas BJP won 82 seats. BJP's spokesperson Atul Shah who contested the election from ward 222 was lucky to have scraped through as he won by lottery.
Congress came down from 52 in 2012 to 31 in 2017 civic poll. Nationalist Congress party won 9 which had earlier 13 corporators in BMC.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena declined from 28 to 7 whereas Samajwadi Party won six seats. Underworld don Arun Gawali's Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) won single seat where his daughter Geeta Gawali won from Byculla.
Ashish Shelar, BJP's city president, said, “BJP got support of independent elected candidate Rahber Khan, and two to three more independent corporators will give support to BJP in coming days." However, he did not reveal whether BJP will try to wrest power from Sena.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis kept some cards in his hand about whether to go or not with Sena in BMC. Even as the BJP won a resounding victory in the BMC, Fadnavis said the future course of action on claiming power in Asia's richest civic body will be taken by the party's core committee.
"All decisions for the party are taken by its core committee. Whether or not to go for an alliance will be decided when me, (Maharashtra BJP President) Raosaheb Danve, (Mumbai BJP chief) Ashish Shelar sit and look at the prevailing situation," he said.
The core committee is expected to meet in couple of days. Danve left for Delhi and another member of the committee Chandrakant Patil was busy in post-poll proceedings in Kolhapur where BJP has won sizeable seats in Zilla Parishad poll.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray exuded confidence that the party will retain the coveted Mayor's post in the civic body. "What is the hurry? Wait for some time. We have not yet decided if an alliance has to be done or not. We will do so soon," Thackeray said, while addressing reporters.
According to BJP insider, they will wait for Sena’s move. Once, Sena will take decision about to Mayoral post.