Mumbai | Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is clear that the Shiv Sena will honour the mandate for the BJP-led Mahayuti in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), sources said on Monday.

They also remarked that the shifting of 29 corporators-elect of his party to a five-star hotel in Mumbai was being unnecessarily hyped.

The 29 newly-elected members were shifted to the hotel after the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance secured a narrow majority in the recent civic polls.

There is speculation that Shinde is keen to secure the BMC mayor's post for the Shiv Sena—at least for the first two-and-a-half years—since it is the birth centenary year of party founder late Bal Thackeray.

Sena sources said that though Shinde is aware his party will not get the post and he hasn't broached the topic with the BJP leadership, he cannot be seen as going on the back foot.

“Shiv Sainiks wish that the party should have its own mayor since it is the birth centenary year of Balasaheb Thackeray. Even though Shinde is aware that the BJP will not accept the demand for a Sena mayor, there is no harm if there is a public discussion. Shinde can't be seen as a leader on the back foot. At least the party can get some other important committees,” a close associate of Shinde said.

Shinde is absolutely clear that he has "no plans to violate the mandate for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance" in Mumbai, sources said.

They also said there is too much talk about the shifting of 29 Sena corporators-elect to a five-star hotel in Mumbai to avoid poaching.

It is a training workshop for the newly elected members and an opportunity for Shinde to familiarise with them and tell them what he expects from them, they added.

In the recently concluded civic polls, the alliance of the BJP and Shinde-led Sena secured a narrow majority in the 227-member BMC, securing 89 and 29 seats, respectively. The Sena (UBT) won 65 seats, while its ally MNS emerged victorious on six.

After interacting with the newly-elected Shiv Sena members of the BMC on Sunday, Shinde asserted that Mumbai will have a Mahayuti mayor.