Mumbai mayor mayhem: Sanjay Raut’s words spark political row
Updated: Jan 20th, 2026
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MP Sanjay Raut has made a strong claim regarding the selection of the next Mumbai mayor, alleging that for the first time in history, the decision will be taken in Delhi by the BJP high command.
Speaking on the ongoing suspense over the mayor’s post after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Raut said that leaders who call themselves the “real Shiv Sena” are being forced to travel to Delhi to finalise the mayoral decision. “Is this Shiv Sena? They have no self-respect. They are helpless people who only want power,” he remarked.
Raut further claimed that even within the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, many newly elected corporators are unhappy with the idea of a BJP mayor in Mumbai. Addressing questions about possible defections or ‘ghar wapsi’ (return) of councillors, he said several new members were originally from the undivided Shiv Sena and do not support a BJP-led mayoral candidate. “Even Shinde and many of his corporators do not want a BJP mayor in Mumbai,” Raut alleged.
The comments come amid reports that newly elected corporators from the Shinde faction have been shifted to a luxury hotel in Mumbai, a move seen as an attempt to prevent poaching and internal dissent following the election results.
Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had said that if ‘Dev’ wishes, his party could secure the mayor’s post. He also suggested that the Shinde faction fears its corporators could be bought by its ally, the BJP.
Reacting to Thackeray’s statement, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis jokingly asked whether ‘Dev’ referred to him or to God. “I am also called Dev. But God has already decided that the mayor will be from the Mahayuti alliance,” Fadnavis said.
The 227-member BMC has witnessed a tight contest, with BJP and Shiv Sena together holding a narrow majority of 118 seats, highlighting the alliance’s vulnerability to potential defections. BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 corporators, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 29 seats, making them crucial to the formation of the civic body’s leadership.
With political maneuvering intensifying behind the scenes, the final decision on Mumbai’s next mayor remains uncertain, keeping the city’s political circles on edge.
