Key Points:
- BJP won 89 seats, Shinde’s Shiv Sena 29 seats, totaling 118, just 4 above the 114 majority mark
- All 29 Shinde Sena corporators shifted to Taj Lands End hotel in Bandra amid poaching fears
- Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) won 65 seats, MNS secured 6
- Uddhav claims dream of UBT mayor is alive, says “if God wills it, this dream will be realised.”
- Shinde’s move echoes past “resort politics” in Maharashtra to prevent defections
The results of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections are out, and the BJP-Eknath Shinde Shiv Sena alliance has secured a razor-thin majority. The real political drama, however, is just beginning. Immediately after results were declared on January 16, 2026, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde shifted all 29 of his Shiv Sena corporators to a luxury hotel in Bandra.
Shinde’s Defensive Move
The corporators have been sequestered at the Taj Lands End hotel due to fears of potential defections. This precautionary measure comes as intense negotiations begin for control of India’s richest civic body. Shinde’s anxiety stems from the razor-thin margin; the BJP won 89 seats while his faction secured 29, bringing the ruling alliance’s total to exactly 118, just four seats above the 114 majority threshold.
Shinde’s primary concern is Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), which won 65 seats. The move to a hotel mirrors past “resort politics” in Maharashtra, where legislators have been sequestered to prevent poaching during crucial political transitions. Party leaders describe the step as a necessary safeguard to protect the majority during the upcoming mayoral election.
Uddhav’s Defiant Response
Addressing Shiv Sena (UBT) workers in Mumbai after the results, Uddhav Thackeray issued a special message that has created political ripples. He declared that his dream of installing a Shiv Sena (UBT) mayor in Mumbai remains alive, stating, “If God wills it, this dream will surely be realised”.
Thackeray characterized the election outcome not as a defeat but as a morale-boosting success achieved under difficult circumstances. “You are all the real architects of this success. We are just the means,” he told party workers, praising their loyalty despite limited resources. He alleged that the BJP “mortgaged Mumbai” to secure victory and claimed the Marathi people would never forgive this betrayal.
Numbers Game and Political Implications
The narrow majority leaves the ruling alliance vulnerable. The BJP-Shinde combine’s 118 seats contrast with the opposition’s 109 seats (UBT’s 65, MNS’s 6, Congress’s expected share, and others). This slim margin explains Shinde’s preemptive action to shield his corporators from potential overtures by Uddhav’s camp.
Political analysts note that Uddhav’s cryptic statement about a UBT mayor, while seemingly aspirational, could signal ongoing backchannel negotiations or an attempt to keep his party energized after losing control of the BMC after three decades. The outcome marks the end of the Thackeray family’s 25-year dominance over Mumbai’s civic administration, representing a seismic shift in the city’s political landscape.
The coming days will determine whether Shinde’s protective measures prove sufficient to maintain the fragile alliance’s cohesion or if Uddhav’s predictions of a UBT mayor materialize through unforeseen political realignments.
