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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. 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. Raut told reporters, "The chief ministers from across the country are having a picnic in Davos. He (CM Fadnavis) will pay attention to the mayoral elections after that is over. The Davos conference is ridiculous from an Indian perspective. Chief ministers from many states meet there, they talk to each other, and Indian industries go to Davos and sign agreements, on taxpayers' money." "They go to Davos every year. They should tell the nation and their states how much is spent on their travel. This could have happened sitting in Mumbai. If the figures (of the investment and job creation) being given are true, then I welcome them," he added. Meanwhile, when asked about two UBT faction corporators in the Kalyan-Dombivli corporation being unreachable, Sanjay Raut said that the party has initiated legal action against them. He said, "Legal action is being taken against him, disqualification proceedings are underway against him, this will be successful, then they can go wherever..." Problems for the Uddhav Thackeray faction are increasing in Kalyan-Dombivali as Shriknath Shinde said that Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has extended support to Mahayuti. Thackeray brothers contested the BMC polls together, but could not get the better of the BJP-Sena Yuti, which won the 118 seats, breaching the majority mark of 114. Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 65 seats while MNS won six seats in Mumbai. In Kalyan-Dombivli, the Mahayuti won 103 of the 122 seats, with the BJP securing 50 seats and the Shiv Sena 53. Shiv Sena (UBT) secured a win on 11 seats and MNS on five. 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. (ANI)
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