Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) pushes 50:50 power-sharing formula after BJP emerges as single largest party in Mumbai civic polls, setting the stage for tense alliance negotiations.

The request for a 2.5-year split mayor term in the Mumbai BMC alliance comes days after the BJP and its counterparts crossed the majority mark in India’s richest civic body. The BJP captured 89 seats in the 227-member House and the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) won 29 seats, creating a numerical advantage for the ruling coalition. Nevertheless, the lack of an outright majority for the BJP has created room to haggle, with the Shinde camp formally presenting a 50:50 power-sharing deal — two-and-a-half years of the mayor’s term for each party.

BJP Emerges Largest Party in Mumbai BMC

The verdict from Mumbai’s civic body reaffirms BJP’s dominance in the country’s financial capital. Party leaders have emphasized that voters placed “maximum trust” in the BJP, which will obviously make it an easy heir to occupy the post of mayor as well. Senior BJP insiders privately contend that as the largest party, the BJP should hold the mayoralty for the entire five-year term. “The mandate is clear,” one party leader told his party, with little inclination to break the term in half, he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are also expected to make a final decision after internal consultations, possibly after January 25.

Shinde Sena’s Show of Strength Raises Political Temperatures

But days after the results were released, the Shinde faction transferred 29 newly elected councillors to a luxury hotel in Mumbai — widely perceived as a sign of consolidation and pressure politics ahead of talks of an alliance. Opposition leadership jumped immediately on the optics. Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed that councillors were being “confined,” a charge the Shinde camp has dismissed as politically inspired rhetoric.

Why the Mayor’s Post Matters in Mumbai

The mayor of Mumbai is not only a ceremonial figure. The office is both symbolic and politically loaded for a civic body which has an annual budget exceeding ₹74,000 crore, and governs critical fields such as:

• Urban infrastructure and roads
• Public hospitals and health care
• Solid waste management
• Coastal road and transportation projects

Control of the mayoralty typically results in influence over important standing committees, and the office becomes a key function of urban governance — and political exposure.

Devendra Fadnavis Signals BJP’s Intent

Devendra Fadnavis so far has taken a measured public position, saying the mayor decision will come after due process. But BJP sources said the party is adamant that the Mumbai mayor remains from the BJP and points to the BJP as the biggest party in the region. Fadnavis has been said to have told allies that while coalition coordination is an immediate priority, “numbers and mandate cannot be ignored.”

Alliance Politics and the 50:50 Formula

The 2.5-year split mayor term formula isn’t new in Indian coalition politics. The same arrangements have been tried—and challenged—in other states, including Karnataka. Critics within BJP say such formulas frequently bring instability and endless renegotiation. In alliances, seat-sharing pressure is widely adopted by political analysts; yet, imposing similar logic on the mayoralty would pose a difficulty for governance in a megacity like Mumbai.

Opposition Reacts, Stakes Its Claim

The opposition bloc — headed by Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress — has watched closely during the alliance’s battle. Profoundly lacking in power, opposition leaders have tried to frame the debate as a sign of internal unrest in the ruling coalition. The Congress that won 23 seats has ruled out supporting the BJP but has kept its options open in public statements, adding another detail of intrigue.

When Will the Mumbai Mayor Be Elected?

The municipal mayor election will probably be held at the end of January in 2026, with January 28, city officials say. Until then, behind-the-scenes talk and public showmanship will take hold.

Political Implications Beyond Mumbai

The dispute over the 2.5-year split mayor term in the Mumbai BMC alliance carries implications not just within the city’s civic government. It will put the BJP–Shinde Sena alliance into doubt before upcoming state and national elections, defining the contours of leadership relations and control within Maharashtra’s ruling dispensation.

Who Blinks First?

As negotiations reach a key point, the BJP seems confident of winning the mayor’s job, on the strength of the public mandate and numbers. However, the Shinde Sena is using its position to seek a 2.5-year split mayor deal with the Mumbai BMC alliance. The end result will determine not only who runs Mumbai’s civic body, but also a demonstration of how power is negotiated in the labyrinthine coalition politics of Maharashtra.

FAQs

Q: Why is Eknath Shinde demanding a 2.5-year mayor term?
A: The Shinde faction wants a 50:50 power-sharing arrangement as it holds the balance of power in the BMC.

Q: How many seats did BJP win in the Mumbai BMC election?
A: The BJP won 89 seats, emerging as the single largest party.

Q: When will the Mumbai mayoral election be held?
A: It is likely in the last week of January 2026, possibly on January 28.

Q: Can the BJP form the BMC government without allies?
A: No, the BJP lacks an outright majority and needs alliance support.

Q: What is at stake in the Mumbai mayor’s post?
A: Control over Asia’s richest civic body with a budget exceeding ₹74,000 crore.

References

• https://english.dainikjagranmpcg.com/politics/696c9957f38a2/article-12577​
• https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-bmc-power-struggle-intensifies-as-reports-say-shindes-shiv-sena-demands-25-year-ma​
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/bmc-poll-results-shiv-sena-wants-first-2-5-years-for-own-mayor-bjp-can-have-the-​
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/who-will-be-mumbai-mayor-suspense-grows-as-shiv-sena-eyes-first-2-5-year-term-ud​
• https://www.indiatoday.in/india/video/eknath-shindes-shiv-sena-demands-25-year-split-mayor-term-in-mumbai-bmc-alliance-ytvd-2853