BMC elections 2017: Unfazed by BJP victory, Shiv Sena reiterates mayor will be from their party

While Shiv Sena emerged on the top with 84 seats, BJP was a close second at 82, and claiming the support of at least four independents, announced it would stake claim to the key post of Mayor.

Mumbai: As it got engaged in a tussle with the Bharatiya Janata Party to control the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the Shiv Sena on Friday reasserted that India's richest and biggest civic body's Mayor will be from its party.

While the Shiv Sena emerged on the top with 84 seats, the BJP was a close second at 82, and claiming the support of at least four independents, announced it would stake claim to the key post of Mayor.

After the announcement of results of the 227-member BMC, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had exuded confidence that the party would retain the coveted Mayor's post, even as he hesitated to give a definitive answer on whether there would be an alliance.

"What is the hurry? Wait for some time. We have not yet decided if an alliance is to be made or not. We will do so soon," Thackeray had said at a press conference.

"But I can assure that not only the Mayor, even the future Chief Minister will be from the Sena," he had said.

Today, the Shiv Sena, in an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, claimed that the BJP used the entire state machinery and all its might of Central leadership to secure unprecedented results in the BMC and other local body polls.

Maharashtra Civic Poll Results 2017: As it happened on Thursday

“The Sena has been ruling the BMC from the last 25 years. They (the BJP) used deceitful means to destabilise our rule. This has never happened before when the Congress ruled the state,” it charged.

“The BJP used all that it had for the BMC polls. But, despite the BJP getting 82 seats, the Mayor will be from Shiv Sena only,” the Sena proclaimed.

The party added that it will walk on the path of fire and continue its fight without worrying about the outcome.

“It is always easier for the party in power to win local body polls. Power helped the Congress and is now helping the BJP. We have decided to walk on the path of fire. We will not worry about the consequences,” it said.

“Our fight (with the BJP) will continue. The war that had started was not only for power but for dharma, ideals and the integrity of Maharashtra,” the Sena said.

The elections to the cash-rich BMC and nine other civic bodies in the state, which had virtually turned into a battle of prestige for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, heading the state’s first BJP-led government, and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, were held on February 21.

Although the Uddhav Thackeray-led party emerged as the single largest bloc with 84 seats, it is way behind the halfway mark of 114 required to control the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

Across Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party made major gains by bagging eight of the other nine municipalities.