BMC Mayor Race: Shinde Demands Post; Raut Alleges Phone Tapping; Raj ‘Distraught’ Over Kalyan Drama

Last Updated:January 21, 2026, 19:22 IST

BMC mayor: Even as Eknath Shinde is aiming for Mumbai civic body's top post, MNS support for his party in Kalyan-Dombivli has added to the drama

BMC mayor: The political battle is heating up. (PTI File)

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday took a sharp jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over a speculated tussle within Mahayuti for the Mumbai mayoral post, saying the Shiv Sena leader will have to convince senior BJP leaders to have their mayor in the BMC.

While the BJP-Sena Yuti swept the BMC polls, the decision for the mayoral post has not been made yet. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 89 of 227 seats and is eyeing the mayoral post, while Eknath Shinde aims to maintain Shiv Sena’s legacy of control over India’s richest municipal corporation.

The lottery for the mayoral posts in Mumbai and 28 other civic bodies are scheduled to be held on January 22.

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NOBODY CARES ABOUT EKNATH SHINDE; PHONES BEING TAPPED: SANJAY RAUT

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Sanjay Raut said, “Nobody cares about Shinde for the mayoral post. There is nothing more insulting than those who call themselves Shiv Sena and put up Balasaheb’s photo and have to go to Delhi to sit at the feet of Gujarati leaders for the post of Mumbai mayor."

He added that the decision for the post is pending as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum 2026.

The Sena-UBT leader also raised questions over CM Fadnavis’ Davos visit, stating that he signed agreements with Indian companies, which he could have done in Mumbai. He demanded that the travel costs of the leaders travelling to Davos be revealed to the public.

Meanwhile, former BMC Mayor Kishori Pednekar was elected as the leader of Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators on Wednesday. She secured victory in Ward No. 199, defeating Rupal Kusale of the Shiv Sena.

Raut on Tuesday claimed the phones of newly elected BJP and Shiv Sena members, who are “locked" in a luxury hotel, are being tapped by the ruling party. However, the corporators of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have left the five-star hotel in Bandra where they had been staying following the announcement of the BMC results on January 16.

Raut said the BJP corporators are being kept under surveillance by the party’s workers. “BJP workers are monitoring (movements) of every corporator of the party. The BJP is also tapping phones of its own corporators," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP was quoted by PTI as saying.

Even phones of Shiv Sena corporators “locked" in a luxury hotel are being tapped, he added.

EKNATH SHINDE’S DEMAND

Shinde and his representative, MP Rahul Shewale, and BJP’s state and Mumbai leadership have reached Delhi. There are reports of discussions between Mumbai BJP president Amit Satam and Shinde group leader Rahul Shewale in Delhi.

Shinde is keen to secure the BMC mayor’s post for the Shiv Sena — at least for the first two-and-a-half years — since it is the birth centenary year of party founder late Bal Thackeray. “Balasaheb Thackeray’s birth centenary year starts from January 23. Some Shivsainiks (party activists) have the feeling that a Shiv Sena mayor should be installed in the BMC," he said.

He stressed that the Shiv Sena would not take any decision that goes against the people’s mandate, emphasising that the Shiv Sena and BJP had fought the Mumbai civic elections as an alliance.

MNS CORPORATORS WITH SHINDE SENA: THE KALYAN DRAMA

In the 122-member Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), the Shiv Sena has emerged as the single largest party by winning 53 seats, while ally BJP stands second with 50 seats. With the support of five MNS corporators, there are now 108 members in the alliance.

Talking to reporters outside the Divisional Commissioner’s office in Navi Mumbai, Sena’s Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde said 53 corporators of his party have submitted a letter about the formation of a group in the civic body. “Five corporators of the MNS, who have formed their group, declared their support to the Shiv Sena. But this is only between Shiv Sena and MNS, and not with any other party," he said. When asked why the Shiv Sena needs support of any other party when it contested the election with the BJP, he said the mayor will belong to the Mahayuti combine only. “Whichever party supports the Shiv Sena is welcome…The party (MNS) might be of the view that in development, all of us should be together. Hence, they have supported the Mahayuti. (Local MNS leader and former MLA) Raju Patil is my friend," Shinde added.

“The authority of taking these decisions lies with Eknath Shinde and BJP’s state president Ravindra Chavan. Both of them may meet today to discuss the issue. All the modalities regarding these posts will be decided during that meeting," he said.

When asked if Shiv Sena will get the mayor’s post in Mumbai, he said anybody will be happy if that happens.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said he spoke to Raj Thackeray about the political development in Kalyan Dombivli civic body. “Raj Thackeray is distraught over this development. He said some people at the local level have taken this decision and it is not the decision of the MNS party," the Rajya Sabha member claimed.

Former MNS MLA Bala Nandgaonkar said the development seems to be an understanding at the local level initiated by a local MNS leader, who is a former legislator.

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