4 minutes of readingBombayUpdated: Jan 30, 2026 04:49 pm IST
The process of filing nominations and election of mayors and deputy mayors began on Friday in all the 29 municipal corporations of Maharashtra. While the exercise is underway across the state, early developments in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Vidarbha indicate how the ruling alliance is distributing civic power and point to the likely contours of negotiations for the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
In the MMR, the Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has moved early claim the post of mayor in three important civic bodies – Thane, Ulhasnagar and Kalyan-Dombivli – and at the same time agree to share the post of deputy mayor with alliance partner BJP.
In Thane: 4 mayors in 5 years
In Thane, the Sena has announced Sharmila Pimpalolkar-Gaikwad as its mayoral candidate, while the deputy mayorship will go to the BJP. Along with the power-sharing arrangement, the Thane Municipal Corporation has adopted a rotation formula for the top two civic posts. According to this, the mayor and deputy mayor will serve terms of around 15 months each. As a result, Thane will have four mayors and four deputy mayors during its five-year term.
Explaining the decision, a Shiv Sena official said the agreement was aimed at ensuring broader participation in civic leadership. “There are several candidates for mayor, including first-time businessmen. If the same leadership is maintained for five years, many become discouraged. This formula ensures new businessmen a platform and an opportunity to lead the civic body,” the official said.
Party sources said the rotating mandate was finalized after consultations at the leadership level to avoid internal dissatisfaction and ensure that both senior and new managers are accommodated without disrupting administrative functioning.
In Ulhasnagar, Shiv Sena corporator Ashwini Nikam filed her nomination for the post of mayor while Amar Lund filed her nomination for deputy mayor. Sena leaders said the party enjoys enough numerical strength in the civic body to secure both seats under the alliance agreement.
In the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation, the Shinde-led Sena has fielded Harshali Thavil-Chaudhari for the mayor’s post, while the BJP has nominated Rahul Damle for the deputy mayor’s post. Leaders of both parties were present during the presentation of nominations.
Story continues below this ad.
With these developments, Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, will head the three major municipal corporations of the MMR, while the BJP retains a presence in the civic administration through the deputy mayor posts.
BJP milestone in Vidharbha
In Vidarbha, however, the BJP recorded a significant political milestone in the Akola Municipal Corporation, where it installed its first mayor. BJP candidate Sharda Khedekar won the mayoral elections, defeating the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate. Party leaders said the Akola result was significant as the BJP had not previously held the mayoral position in the city, which has traditionally seen contests dominated by regional parties.
Senior Shinde Sena leaders indicated that the power-sharing arrangements in the MMR, including the rotational formula adopted in Thane, are considered a benchmark for discussions on leadership positions in Bombay.
“We have shown flexibility and power sharing in important municipal corporations. We hope for similar understanding and respectable positions when talks are held on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation,” said a senior leader.
Story continues below this ad.
It is expected that during the next few days the application and election process will continue in the remaining municipal corporations.
