Shiv Sena set to retain Mumbai mayor's post; BJP opts out

The Shiv Sena was on Monday set to retain the post of Mumbai mayor after the BJP opted out of the poll fray in India's richest civic body.

Sena nominee Kishori Pednekar filed her nomination papers for the November 22 mayoral poll on Monday, the last day for filing nominations.

Earlier in the day, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said the BJP has decided not to contest the Mumbai mayoral elections.

He said his party doesnt have the numbers on its side and will not compromise with its ideology by joining the ranks with opposition parties.

In 2022, the BJP will have the numbers and win the mayoral poll on its own, Shelar said.

The Shiv Sena has ruled the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for over two decades with the BJP's support. The BJPs decision to opt out of the race has paved the way for Shiv Sena to retain the mayor's post.

The BMC has a total of 227 seats. The mayor is elected by these corporators. At present, the Shiv Sena has 84 members in the BMC and the BJP has 82. In 2017, the BJP had backed Shiv Senas Vishwanath Mahadeshwar for the post.

Pednekar, four-time corporator from Prabhadevi, filed her nomination for the post of mayor, while second-time corporator from Malad Suhas Vadkar filed nomination for the post of deputy mayor on Monday.

The BJPs decision to opt out of the Mumbai mayoral poll comes amid the strained ties with the Shiv Sena which have led to an impasse in government formation even after three weeks of declaration of the October 21 Assembly polls.

The Sena's insistence in having an equal share in power and rotation of the CM's post has led to a bitter fallout between the two parties, who contested the Assembly polls jointly.