Mumbai Mayor Lottery on Jan 22: BJP-Shinde Sena Battle, Thackeray Support Speculated

• The Maharashtra government has initiated the process for electing mayors for Mumbai and 28 other urban local bodies, with the lottery for the BMC Mayor's post scheduled for January 22.
• The lottery will decide the category for the Mumbai Mayor's post, which traditionally rotates among General, Women, SC, ST, and OBC categories.
• Speculation suggests a rule change might restart the reservation cycle from the 'Open Category', potentially allowing well-known leaders to secure the Mayor's post.
• Mumbai's Mayor is elected by corporators for a 2.5-year term, requiring a simple majority (114 votes) in the BMC House, with alliances playing a crucial role.
• BJP emerged as the largest party in the recent BMC elections with 89 seats, while Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena secured 29 seats, leading to speculation about a 'Mahayuti' mayor.

Why It Matters: Mumbai's next Mayor will be decided by a lottery on January 22, amidst political maneuvering and rule change speculation.