BMC Verdict: Eknath Shinde Secures Numbers as Uddhav Thackeray Vows Sena (UBT) Mayor ‘If God Is Willing’

After the BMC results, Eknath Shinde moves Shiv Sena corporators to a Bandra hotel to prevent poaching, while Uddhav Thackeray rejects defeat and says it remains his dream to see a Sena (UBT) mayor in Mumbai, “if God is willing.”
BMC elections, Eknath Shinde, Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena UBT, Mumbai Mayor election, Maharashtra politics

Shinde Moves Urgently after Tight Results of BMC

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde wasted no time in solidifying his political clout post-Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) verdict. In fear of poaching and last-minute defections, newly elected Shiv Sena corporators who aligned with Shinde got moved to a hotel in Bandra.

With the mayoral election approaching and margins remaining narrow, party leaders described the move as a precaution. The majority mark is 114 in the 227-member BMC. The BJP has won 89 seats and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, 29. The ruling alliance stands at 118 seats, just 4 above halfway point. Given the narrow cushion, any defection might complicate control of India’s richest civic body.

Uddhav Thackeray Rejects Defeat Narrative. On the other end, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had a defiant tone when speaking to party workers in Mumbai. He wanted to reframe losing control of the BMC as a victory not a defeat in the trenches.

“You all are the true architects of this success; we are merely a medium. The result that has come in such circumstances is truly a matter of pride,” Thackeray said of party cadres, who he praised for standing with the organisation despite scarce resources.

The sharpest assault on BJP and ruling alliance. Thackeray railed against the BJP and its allies, blaming them for misusing power and winning the civic polls through betrayal.

“They believe they have finished Shiv Sena on paper, but they can never destroy the Shiv Sena that exists on the ground,” he said. Alleging the use of every possible tactic—“saam, daam, dand, bhed”—Thackeray added, “The traitors left, but they could not buy loyalty.”

In one of his strongest remarks, Thackeray claimed that the BJP had “mortgaged Mumbai” to secure its victory. “The Marathi people will never forgive this sin,” he said, reiterating that Sena (UBT) remains the true representative of the Marathi manoos.


Dream of Sena (UBT) Mayor Still Alive
Thackeray remains steadfast about his political dream, regardless of the numbers benefitting the ruling alliance. “It is my dream to see a Shiv Sena (UBT) mayor in Mumbai. If God is willing, this dream will come true,” he said, a sign that his party hasn’t lost its grip on hope ahead of the mayoral race.

A High-Stakes Battle of Mayors in the Near Future
With only a small majority of the ruling alliance, the coming days will be politically tense. Shinde’s decision to move corporators highlights the stakes and, as per Thackeray’s rhetoric, Sena (UBT) will have to continue its fight over the legitimacy and stability of the new BMC power structure.
The bid to take control of the civic body is anything but over as Mumbai awaits the mayoral election.