ThePrint ThePrintAM: Why has Eknath Shinde moved his 29 newly elected BMC corporators to a Mumbai hotel?
Jan 19, 2026
Eknath Shinde's power play in Maharashtra takes center stage as he moves 29 newly elected corporators to a luxury hotel, echoing past resort politics. The demands for sharing the mayoral post with the BJP spark tension. Analyzing the alliance dynamics, Shinde's leverage over the BJP becomes evident for majority control in Mumbai. Uddhav Thackeray's warnings about poaching intensify the drama, while the Shinde camp claims the hotel stay is for workshops. The episode delves into strategies, threats of defections, and the complex chess game of local politics.
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Resort Politics Revisited
- Eknath Shinde moved all 29 newly elected BMC corporators to a five-star Mumbai hotel to keep them together after the polls.
- The move echoes the 2022 Shiv Sena split when MLAs were taken to Surat and Guwahati for protection and cohesion.
Kingmaker Leverage Over BJP
- Shinde's bloc is positioning itself as a kingmaker because BJP's 89 seats don't give an outright BMC majority.
- Corporators press for a half-term mayoralty and key committee posts to secure power and influence ahead of 2029.
Protect Your Bloc Proactively
- Keep loyal ranks together because local bodies lack anti-defection protections and defections are easier.
- Use controlled gatherings and workshops to reduce poaching risk and present unity to allies and rivals.