According to sources, the Shinde Sena has sought a “clear and respectable share of power in the civic body”. It is learned that they put two options on the table: the post of mayor for half of the five-year term, or control of the Standing Committee, considered the most powerful body of the BMC because it controls finances and key approvals.

With the BJP unwilling to relinquish “administrative control of the BMC”, the issue is expected to be debated when the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis returns from Davos, where he participates in the World Economic Forum. Fadnavis is scheduled to return on January 24.

“Formal discussions have not been held yet. They will take place only when Fadnavis returns,” a Shinde Sena leader said.

Meanwhile, responding to the opposition’s claim that its corporators were being held at the hotel because the party feared poaching attempts, Shinde said, “The Sena is not a scared party. People are scared of the Sena. In fact, it is they (Sena-UBT) who are scared and cannot keep their flock together. The exercise was conducted for orientation purposes and to guide the newly elected corporators on the functioning of the BMC.”

When asked about the demands within the party for the mayor’s post, he said: “The mayor of Mumbai will be from the Mahayutis.”

Earlier, during his first meeting with corporators since his victory, Shinde reiterated that the BJP remains an ally and ordered them not to speak against the alliance. He also ordered the corporators to start working in their wards immediately.

“I congratulated the newly elected corporators and directed them to pay attention to the problems faced by the people in their respective constituencies,” Shinde said. “Shiv Sena has emerged as the second largest party in a very short time. Earlier, in the Assembly and even council polls, (Shinde) Sena emerged as the second largest party. We are in alliance with the BJP which has emerged as the largest party,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sena minister Uday Samant said, “This year marks the birth centenary of late Sena founder Bal Thackeray and all Shiv Sainiks want the Shiv Sena to occupy the post of Mumbai mayor. However, the final decision will be taken by BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde of the Seine.”

As the Shinde Sena corporators stayed at the Taj Lands End Hotel in Bandra for the second day, they held informal talks among themselves. They said they knew nothing about the talks or the power-sharing strategy and had been called to the hotel for an orientation session.

Several corporators said they had planned victory rallies in their districts the day after the results, but were instead asked to show up at the hotel. Some said they were waiting for clear instructions. “We were told to come here for guidance. The party leadership will decide everything and we will follow their decision,” said a corporator, on condition of anonymity.

Of the 29 entrepreneurs, 12 are representatives elected for the first time and 19 are women. Some of the corporate employees have learned to stay in the hotel with their families.

The talks in Mumbai are also linked to power-sharing deals in other civic bodies like Kalyan-Dombivli and Thane, where negotiations are underway.

Sources said a possible deal could see the BJP conceding the mayor’s post to the Shinde Sena, while maintaining control of the Standing Committee. However, leaders said a final decision has not been taken yet and this is just one possible approach that the BJP could take.

The BJP had earlier indicated that it would not compromise the Standing Committee or the administrative control of the civic body.

Maharashtra BJP minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and the election in-charge of Maharashtra said the Shinde Sena had not made any formal proposal for a two-and-a-half-year mayoral term. “The discussion on this will be held between Shinde ji and Fadnavis ji. They will decide together what can be done. These kinds of discussions do not take place in front of the media,” he said.

The BMC will first have to complete the technicalities before taking a decision, he said. “Unless we know the category of the mayoral candidate, how can we proceed? Will the next mayor be a man/woman/OBC/SC etc,” he added.

The post of Mayor is reserved on a rotating basis for the general category, Scheduled Castes, OBC and women. The state Department of Urban Development holds a lottery to decide the category. The formal process should begin next week.

“All these decisions about the mayor and committees will be taken in the BJP central committee. We will call our meeting when Fadnavis arrives from Davos. There is still time and it is not a big problem. The next mayor will be from Mahayuti,” Bawankule said.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut questioned why the Shinde Sena corporators were staying in the hotel. “If everything is normal, why are corporators kept in a hotel? Why are they not allowed to go back to their wards and meet people? Calling this training is misleading. Corporators are kept locked up. I would request Home Minister and CM Fadnavis to bail them out… This is not guidance. This is pressure politics,” he said.

Countering the criticism, Shinde Sena spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre said, “This is not resort politics. Many of our corporators are first-time representatives and need to understand how the BMC works. That is why this orientation program has been organised… The election was fought as part of the Mahayuti… Decisions on posts like mayor or standing committee will be taken by the alliance leaders.” — With contributions from Shubhangi Khapre