Eknath Shinde Stakes Claim on Mumbai Mayor Post, Citing Balasaheb's Centenary

• Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde asserts that the Mumbai Mayor should be from his Shiv Sena faction, aligning with Balasaheb Thackeray's birth centenary.
• The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a majority in the BMC elections, with BJP winning 89 seats and Shinde's Shiv Sena 29, but no single party achieved a clear majority.
• Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) faction alleges that the Mahayuti government is tapping phones of newly elected corporators and 'locking' them in hotels.
• Sanjay Raut claims the Mumbai Mayor decision is being made in Delhi, calling it an insult to Maharashtra, while BJP denies phone tapping allegations.
• Shinde faction corporators registered as a group with the Konkan Divisional Commissioner to prevent poaching, marking the end of Thackeray family's BMC dominance.

Why It Matters: Eknath Shinde's faction eyes Mumbai Mayor post, citing Balasaheb Thackeray's legacy amidst political accusations.