21 January,2026 08:42 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
The push comes after the party achieved a strong performance in the recent civic elections. Representational Pic/File
A tense political battle is emerging in Thane, the home area of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, as the BJP seeks a larger share of power in the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), reported the PTI.
The push comes after the party achieved a strong performance in the recent civic elections.
The Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, won 75 wards in the 131-member civic body, while alliance partner the BJP secured 28 seats. The majority mark in the TMC is 66 seats, meaning the alliance comfortably controls the corporation.
Amid speculation that the Shiv Sena is aiming for the Mumbai mayor's post despite finishing behind the BJP in Thane, the BJP has put up posters across the city praising its own performance in the civic polls, according to the PTI.
BJP Thane in-charge and MLC Niranjan Davkhare said the banners are meant to honour the party workers who helped secure the victory.
He noted that, excluding one seat lost due to a technical issue, the BJP maintained a 100 per cent strike rate in the 28 seats it contested in Thane.
Davkhare argued that the BJP's strong showing in the civic polls across Maharashtra's 29 municipal corporations justifies a major role for the party in Thane.
He said key positions such as the mayor, Leader of the House, and chairpersons of important committees should be held by the BJP to ensure the party's development plans for Thane are implemented smoothly.
"If we are to fulfil the promises made in our manifesto, it is essential to hold key positions in the municipal corporation," he said. "Without a meaningful role in these positions, the development roadmap we have planned for Thane may face obstacles," as per the PTI.
When asked if the BJP was demanding the mayor's post for at least two years, Davkhare did not give a direct answer.
He said that any decision made by senior leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Ravindra Chavan (Maharashtra BJP president) would be acceptable to the party and its workers, the news agency reported,
(with PTI inputs)
