On this Special Report, the focus is on the internal power dynamics of the Mahayuti alliance regarding the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor post. Susieben Shah, Spokesperson for Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), emphasized the emotional significance of the post, stating, 'it will be a tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray's memory, if our mayor is, if Shiv Sena mayor is once again hoisted at BMC.' She argued that despite numerical differences, the alliance operates on mutual respect and negotiation rather than surrender. Conversely, BJP National Spokesperson Sanju Verma highlighted the BJP's superior strike rate and seat count in Mumbai, noting that the BJP has been 'generous and magnanimous to a fault' in accommodating partners. The discussion, moderated by Preeti Choudhry, also featured Dr. Shoaib Hashmi of Shiv Sena (UBT), who suggested potential friction within the alliance. The programme explores whether the 'Fevicol ka jod' of the NDA will hold as both parties eye the prestigious Mayor's chair in the centenary year of Balasaheb Thackeray.
00:00Sushi Ben Shah, spokesperson Shiv Sena, Eknath Shunde, Sanju Verma, national spokesperson BJP, Dr. Shoaib Hashmi, leader Shiv Sena, UBT.
00:10Which one of you would want to go first within the lady?
00:13Sushi Ben Shah, the mayor will be a Mahayuti mayor, is what you had said the last time you came, ma'am, when we were discussing the results.
00:23Would it be a Mahayuti mayor? Is that the reason why your corporators are at land's end right now?
00:28Or at least for the first two and a half years, will it be a Shinde Sena where?
00:34Good evening and it is always a pleasure to be on your show, Preeti.
00:38And good evening to all, to our viewers and my dear panellist.
00:41I would like to tell you this, that the word by itself, the surrender word is wrong.
00:47It is not a surrender, it is negotiation.
00:49It is negotiation in the spirit of partnership, in the spirit of coalition.
00:54So why surrender? So that's one part.
00:56Secondly, I will not mince any words to say that it will be Mahayuti lawyer, Mahayuti mayor.
01:04But, but, it is Bada Sahib Thakre's, the Jayanti's centenary year.
01:09For years, there has been a Shiv Sena mayor and it will be a homage to the, it will be a tribute to Bada Sahib Thakre's memory.
01:17If our mayor is, if Shiv Sena mayor is once again hoisted at BMC, that's one part.
01:25Secondly, it cannot be forgotten that we are the kingmaker, right?
01:31We are the game changers, right?
01:33Without us, as in the past, as in the government of Maharashtra, in the BMC, we are together.
01:39And when we are together, for ideological reasons, for progress of Mumbai, of Maharashtra,
01:45the number is not, always, never matters.
01:48See, what happened in 2019, despite the numbers, our Honourable Pramukh Neta Iknath Raoji Shinde was made the CM.
01:57So therefore, we are discussion, we are discussing together,
02:01and we have no doubt in my mind that it will be done in a manner respectful to everyone.
02:06We have discussed in the past also, you see, Nagarpalika, Nagar Parishat.
02:12We both have very strong parties with strong leaders, statesmen as their leader.
02:17So therefore, both of us want to grow our parties, and therefore, we have our choices, we work together.
02:23But you will never see our leaders bickering in public.
02:27We always sought out our differences amicably, because whether it be Maharasaheb Thakre,
02:32whether it be Atal Bihari Vajpayee, both of us, respect both the leaders.
02:37Susi Bensha, your time is up, and it's always a privilege to have you on my show,
02:42and one reason I really love having you is because you don't mince any words.
02:45And you've said it for what it is, which practically maybe corners your ally on the show,
02:50Sanju Verma a bit, who herself doesn't mince any words.
02:52But Sanju Verma, I'm going to bring you in on three counts with what Susi Bensha said.
02:57Number one, it's not surrender, it is a negotiation.
03:00Number two, it's the centenary year of Balasaheb Thakre, Shiv Sena,
03:05and the mayor should be from Eknath Jinde's party.
03:10Number three, she's also casually mentioned that, listen, Sanju Verma, we are the kingmaker.
03:15Without us, you cannot become the mayor.
03:17So there are three issues, very three, one can be a borderline warning as well.
03:22You know, Preeti...
03:26Politely, ma'am, polite warning.
03:28Okay, Susi Bensha is saying it's not a warning.
03:31Yeah.
03:32Go ahead, ma'am.
03:33Okay, am I audible?
03:34Yeah.
03:34So, Preeti, the BJP has a strike rate in BMC of 66% with 89 seats,
03:43and Shinde Sena has a strike rate of 33% with about 29 seats.
03:50We are not discussing strike rates here, but let's be very clear, the truth be told.
03:55In the BMC, the BJP has three times more seats than the Shinde Sena, point number one.
04:03Point number two, even in the assembly elections, the BJP had a strike rate of 91%, having 132 seats.
04:11And mind you, Preeti, all 132 numbers was 2.3 times bigger than Shinde Sena,
04:18and 3.2 times bigger than Ajit Pawar's party.
04:24But like I said, we are the single largest party across 29 municipal corporations.
04:31We have a strike rate repeatedly of anywhere between 67% to 91%.
04:35All that is in public domain.
04:37I just want to say that BJP has huge respect for its alliance partners, and I will just say this.
04:45Despite the Shinde Sena winning 57 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections,
04:50Ajit Pawar's party winning 41, and we winning 132.
04:54You have a deputy chief minister in Mr. Eknath Shinde.
04:58You have a deputy chief minister in Ajit Pawar.
05:01What does that tell you about BJP?
05:03It tells you that BJP does not simply go by pure arithmetic.
05:08There is something called chemistry, which is beyond numbers.
05:11There is something called mutual respect for alliance partners, which we always uphold.
05:17And Eknath Shinde ji will have a big say, because he's also the guardian minister for Mumbai city.
05:23Ashish Sherar is the guardian minister for Mumbai suburbs.
05:27And Devendra Furnivas is the chief minister.
05:28So we will talk about it and we will talk about it and understand it in the future.
05:33And the one who is the most important part of Mumbai will be taken.
05:38You know, I love you both because I don't need UBT Shiv Sena today on this show.
05:44Because both of you are being exceedingly polite, but oh, so cutting.
05:48Susi Bensha, look at your strike rate.
05:51Look at the BJP strike rate.
05:53But we are not talking about strike rate as per Sanju Verma, but look at it.
05:57She's detailed it for you.
05:58No problem.
05:59No problem.
05:59And we respect that.
06:00But it cannot be denied that they contested far more seats than us.
06:05Oh, very good, ma'am.
06:06I like it.
06:07Go ahead.
06:07No, no.
06:08We contested.
06:09And Sanju, with due respect, it is Shiv Sena, not Shinde Sena.
06:14With the bow and the arrow.
06:15My bad.
06:16My bad.
06:17Go ahead.
06:18Not my bad.
06:18Even Sanju Verma said Shinde Sena.
06:20Okay.
06:20Ma'am, make your point.
06:21I'm telling Sanju and Priti both.
06:23Dear friends of mine.
06:24Okay.
06:24Yeah.
06:24That we are Shiv Sena.
06:26With bow and the arrow as a symbol.
06:27So, having said that, it is, as she rightly said, we are in a great partnership.
06:32We are Fevicol Ka Jol, famously known as Famicol Ka Jol.
06:35We are the oldest partners in the NDA alliance.
06:38And I don't think there is nothing, nothing can break it.
06:42But yes, as a Karyakarta, as Shiv Sena, it is our desire.
06:46And that is why we have put it out there.
06:48BJP is, of course, as number one party in the corporations with the number of corporators.
06:55But we are second.
06:56So, therefore, and cannot be forgotten that we are three years old.
06:59Shiv Sena, with the present dispensation, with the holding the ideology of Parasar Thakre,
07:05we are just three years old.
07:06And therefore, and therefore, we will be there and we are trying our best.
07:12And I think it isn't, I think it is, it's right for every political party to spread their, spread their ideology, spread their party.
07:21Therefore, I agree, ma'am, and you need the chair of Mir to do that.
07:27You are right in your demands.
07:29I'm going to come right, I agree with you.
07:31I'll take your question to Sanju.
07:33I'll take your question to Sanju Verma, but let me, allow me to bring in.
07:37Dr. Shoaib Ashmi, we don't even need you in this conversation with what is going on.
07:43But seemingly, you are watching from the sidelines.
07:47Say, sir.
07:49Good evening, all.
07:51Very good evening.
07:53Yes, I wish to say both, both of them and all viewers about BJP and Shinde Sena.
07:58The way you have taken our MLAs in 2022, the same situation may come this time also.
08:16I'm 100% sure since 2024 assembly elections, Shinde Sena is not quite happy because they are not getting equal respect and mutual understanding is not there.
08:27They both are agreed, but they will not accept.
08:30They both agree, I know.
08:31The second thing is, in this election in BMC, we got 65 corporators, which is very good and very good performance.
08:40I think Shinde Sena is afraid that maybe there are 29 corporators or maybe 20 out of 29 may join Mr. UBT party.
08:51That's why I think they kept theirтАж
08:52All right, so it's reverse.
08:53You're saying the reverse will happen.
08:54That's what you're fearing.
08:55Okay, I want to bring inтАж
08:56This may.
08:57Okay.
08:58This may happen.
08:59Let me complete.
09:01Sir, 10 seconds.
09:03Sir, today, the debate is tilted towards having the Shinde Sena and the BJP, but you have 10 seconds.
09:11Make your point, then I'll bring in Sanju Verma.
09:13Yeah, yeah, yeah.
09:14This may happen.
09:15That's why they are very afraid and I'm very sure, 100% sure, that maybe we'll get chance for this Sentinel year that UBT will have their own mayor with the support of their well-wishers and supporters because right now we have almost 107 versus 118.
09:32Okay, you're saying these people will, the corporators of Mr. Rehkna Chinde will come to you, but Sanju Verma, you fought more seats and, you know, it's understand.
09:41And they're only three years old, three years old as a party.
09:44They deserve the mayor's chair at least for two and a half years.
09:46What's wrong?
09:47I'm not saying it.
09:48Susi Ben Shah is saying it.
09:50You know, Preeti, I normally have these pavahs with you.
09:53I never thought that I would have a pavah with Susi Ben Shah one day.
09:57Even I can think so.
09:57I'm enjoying it.
09:58But in friendly bancha.
10:00Yeah.
10:01Okay.
10:01Now, let me just, I'll read out 11 names.
10:05Apart from the last two MOS, the other nine are cabinet ministers.
10:22The limited point I'm making is, despite winning 132 seats, 2.3 times more than Eknath Shinde,
10:30the Maharashtra cabinet today has 33 people who are cabinet ministers, six people who are MOS.
10:36And, you know, out of these 39 ministers in all, BJP has only won 919, Eknath Shinde's group has 11,
10:43and Ajit Pabahar's group has the balance, which means, despite winning far higher number of seats,
10:50the BJP has been generous and magnanimous to afford in ensuring that alliance partners are accommodated.
10:57So, I don't think there will be any problem, but let's not forget one thing.
11:01In politics, Joe Jeta Vahi Sikandar, it's not about arithmetic, but just like, you know,
11:06Mr. Eknath Shinde's bastion is Thane. In Kalyan, Dombivli, Eknath Shinde's party has done phenomenally well.
11:15Ditto, they have done phenomenally well in Rahansh Nagar.
11:18Secondly, they have to accept that in Mumbai, it is the BJP which has actually had...
11:24Fair point, ma'am. I'm running out of time, and this is a debate I wish I had more time on.
11:28I want to bring in 30 cents.
11:29Susi Ben Shah, see, first of all, what you deserve, you've gotten more than that.
11:33That is what Sanju Varma is saying, indirectly.
11:35Oh, thank you.
11:37Ma'am, you said that. What are you talking about?
11:39You didn't have to look at us. We didn't need to give you all those cabinet boards.
11:45It is in the spirit of partnership. It is for the progress of Maharashtra, for the betterment of Marathi Manus.
11:52For every project, we work together, hand in hand.
11:55Whether it be the CM, Eknath Raoji, or Devendra Fadnavisji is the CM.
12:00So, therefore, I have no doubt in my mind, while we wished and we hoped and we are counting on Devendra Fadnavis' wisdom, that we will be accommodated.
12:10I mean, we are not going to, we are not going to make an issue, but it is a desire.
12:15And I think there is nothing wrong with the person expressing on national TV.
12:20Hey, ma'am, you've taken a step back.
12:22You began so aggressively, but it doesn't matter.
12:25We are going to get the both of you tomorrow.
12:26But I appreciate all three of you for joining.
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