#News #Latest #trending #india
Mumbai: As political turmoil in the power tussle in Mumbai Municipal Corporation intensifies, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction has taken precautionary measures. 29 Shiv Sena councilors have been elected in Mumbai. It is learned that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has decided to keep them all together in a five-star hotel in Mumbai’s Bandra area until he becomes mayor.
It is reported that this arrangement is being made to stop horse-trading during the process of coming to power. 29 Shiv Sena councilors were directed to report to a five-star hotel in Bandra by 3 pm on Wednesday. They have been asked to stay there for the next three days. This precaution is being taken so that there is no defection during the process of assuming power.
To come to power in Mumbai Municipal Corporation, 114 corporators are needed. Although BJP has won the maximum number of 89 seats, they are far from a majority and will need the support of the Shiv Sena (Shinde) faction. At the same time, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray’s faction has 65 elected corporators. With the support of MNS and Congress this number becomes 98.
Since no single party has got the majority, there is a possibility of political maneuvering and defection among the corporators. After the 2017 elections, Shiv Sena had defection of 7 MNS corporators to increase its strength during the process of forming power. Similarly, in the 2019 elections, Maha Vikas Aghadi was formed under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.
Even then the MLAs of the three parties were kept in different hotels in Mumbai. The incident of 40 MLAs including Shinde going to Guwahati in 2022 is still fresh in the memory, but after four years ‘hotel politics’ has once again become a topic of discussion. Considering the events that happened in 2019 and 2022, this method of gathering elected representatives at one place is being used to prevent the power equation from getting disturbed.
Meanwhile, when asked about Shiv Sena’s caution, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, ‘There is no reason for any defection right now. All decisions will be taken peacefully and together. Therefore, no question of such possibilities arises. On the other hand, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) party chief Uddhav Thackeray criticized it.
Uddhav Thackeray claimed, ‘They are afraid of BJP. Those who have defected once can defect again. Many councilors of Shinde Group are actually from our party. BJP can break their councilors for the post of Mayor. It is being said that it will take some more time to form the ruling body in Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Till then, Shinde does not want to take any risk.
