Sanjay Raut’s sensational claim – Many councilors of Shinde led Shiv Sena do not want a BJP mayor in Mumbai.

Mumbai, 18 January. Amid the ongoing tussle over the new mayor of Mumbai after the BJP-led alliance Mahayuti got an absolute majority in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday made a sensational claim saying that many councilors of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena do not want a BJP mayor in Mumbai.

It is noteworthy that in the recent municipal elections, the alliance of BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena won a clear majority in the 227-member BMC, getting 89 and 29 seats respectively. Shiv Sena (UBT) won 65 seats while its ally MNS won six seats.

‘Eknath Shinde also does not want BJP mayor in Mumbai’

Sanjay Raut said that these councilors originally belonged to the party founded by Bal Thackeray, before its split they were in the same party. Asked whether there would be a ‘homecoming’ of councilors, Raut said, ‘Many of the new councilors are basically Shiv Sainiks (of undivided Shiv Sena). As per our understanding, everyone wants that the BJP mayor should not be elected. Even Eknath Shinde does not want a BJP mayor in Mumbai.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said if the councilors are locked in the hotel then there are different methods of communication to send and receive messages. The councilors who have been locked out should be released.

Sheetal Mhatre rejected Raut’s claim

Shinde’s Shiv Sena leader Sheetal Mhatre rejected Sanjay Raut’s claim and said that his party and BJP had contested the elections as a grand alliance. He said, ’20 of our 29 councilors are first-timers and they need to know how the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation works. We do not need to resort to hotel politics. The elected councilors have defeated Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates. He also rejected the allegation that councilors were locked in a hotel to bargain better for posts in BMC.

Uddhav Thackeray also Shiv Sena (ubt) Has indicated to become mayor of

It is noteworthy that on Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had said that if God wishes, his party can have a mayor. He had also indicated that Shinde’s party was afraid of sabotage attempts by its ally BJP.

Raut said, ‘There was a discussion (regarding the post of Mayor) between Uddhav Thackeray and MNS President Raj Thackeray. We are looking at it objectively. A lot is happening behind the scenes.

Shiv Sena’s logic behind keeping councilors staying in hotel

Meanwhile, as the race for the post of mayor in Mumbai intensifies after the BMC elections, Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has sent his 29 councilors to a five-star luxury hotel in the city. Shiv Sena said its councilors have been accommodated in a hotel for a three-day workshop, where Shinde will guide them about the functioning of the BMC.