MUMBAI: The BJP on Monday said that it was confident about relegating Shiv Sena to the sidelines in the BMC.

“The next mayor of Mumbai would be from the BJP,” Manoj Kotak, BJP group leader in the BMC, said.

The Shiv Sena in the BMC house is already under immense pressure, fearing loss of its hold over the cash-rich corporation if the BJP withdraws support in a tit-for-tat move following the Shiv Sena decision not to be a part of the BJP government led by Devendra Fadnavis in the state.

The option before the Shiv Sena then would be to get in to a partnership with the MNS to reach the halfway mark in the house of 226.

“There would be pressure on us if the Shiv Sena sticks to its stand to not support the BJP in the state assembly,” a senior Shiv Sena corporator said. “The MNS can be an option but it would be difficult to handle it and the pressure would remain till the next corporation election.”

A rift between the Shiv Sena and the BJP is likely to affect the regular business of the civic body.

Although there is no provision in the law to dissolve the BMC, the state can interfere in its proceedings.

“According to the MMC Act, 1888, Section 520 B and C, the state government can interrupt the BMC business if it finds any financial mismanagement or misuse of public funds which hamper public works,” a senior official from the municipal secretary department said. “The state can dissolve it by taking the advantage of the same clause.”

Kotak said he planned to soon meet the chief minister without the mayor to submit a memorandum on the city and its development projects.

Kotak said the BJP mayor would have executive power. “We will implement mayor-in-council system in the BMC,” Kotak said.

