Uddhav Thackeray sends cryptic message after BMC loss as Shinde moves corporators to hotel

A day after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) verdict reshaped Mumbai’s political landscape, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde moved swiftly to consolidate his party’s position by relocating newly elected Shiv Sena corporators to a hotel in Bandra, amid concerns over possible defections.

At the same time, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray struck a defiant note, reaffirming his ambition to see a Shiv Sena (UBT) mayor elected in Mumbai despite his party losing control of India’s richest civic body.

Addressing party workers in Mumbai, Thackeray described the election outcome as a moral victory achieved under adverse conditions. He praised party cadres for standing firm despite limited resources and said the results reflected their resilience rather than defeat.

Launching a sharp attack on the ruling alliance, Thackeray accused the BJP and its allies of misusing power to win the civic polls. He alleged that every possible tactic had been deployed against his party and claimed that loyalty could not be bought, even if political strength appeared weakened on paper.

In one of his strongest remarks, Thackeray alleged that Mumbai’s future had been compromised for political gain, asserting that the Sena (UBT) continued to represent the interests of the Marathi manoos at the grassroots level.

Why Shinde moved corporators to a hotel

The BMC has a total strength of 227 members, with the majority mark at 114. The BJP has secured 89 seats, while the Eknath Shinde–led Shiv Sena has won 29, taking the ruling alliance’s tally to 118 — a narrow margin above the halfway mark. With the mayoral election approaching and numbers remaining tight, Shinde’s decision to house corporators together is being seen as a precautionary move to prevent poaching or last-minute shifts that could alter the balance of power in the civic body.

Party leaders described the move as a standard protective measure in a high-stakes political environment where even small changes could significantly impact control of the BMC.