Even as it remains part of the victorious Mahayuti alliance in the BMC elections, the Eknath Shinde–led Shiv Sena on Saturday began moving its newly elected corporators in Mumbai to a five-star hotel, signalling unease amid ongoing power negotiations with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).By 6 pm, 29 Shiv Sena corporators and a few party leaders had reached the Taj Lands End hotel in Bandra, where they are expected to stay for the next few days. Meetings continued late into the evening, after which Sena leader and newly elected corporator Ameya Ghole was scheduled to address the media to present the party’s position.Sources said the corporators were initially told they were being called for a meeting. However, those familiar with the development said the plan is to keep them at the hotel for three days while backchannel talks with the BJP are underway. The discussions are focused on power-sharing arrangements in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as well as at the state level.A senior party functionary, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Bal Thackeray’s birth anniversary is approaching and that corporators want to ensure the Shiv Sena secures the mayor’s post in the BMC as a tribute to the party founder. This, the leader said, has made the current exercise necessary.In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the BJP has emerged as the largest party with 89 seats in the 227-member House, but it remains short of the majority mark of 114 needed to form the civic government. The Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has won 29 seats, making its support crucial for the BJP to govern the coveted civic body.Senior Shiv Sena leaders said discussions would cover power-sharing issues, including the mayor’s post and control of the Standing Committee, which handles the civic body’s finances. “This was a precautionary step to keep the group together while talks with alliance partners continue,” a Sena leader said, explaining the decision to move corporators to a hotel.The BJP, meanwhile, said the corralling of corporators was an internal matter of the Shiv Sena.Story continues below this ad“There is no question of horse trading or poaching… I think they (Shinde) must have called all the corporators to a hotel as we have called all the corporators for a meeting,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.Even as the Shinde-led Sena is expected to drive a hard bargain for key posts in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the BJP is also turning up the pressure, signalling that it could sit in the opposition — or seek to form civic governments on its own — in municipal corporations of Thane and Kalyan-Dombivli, where the Sena holds an advantage.In neighbouring Thane, for instance, the pocket borough of Eknath Shinde, his party has won 75 of the 131 seats, which means it does not need the support of the BJP to govern. Despite this, the BJP, which won 28 seats, has said it may choose to sit in the Opposition if it is not given a meaningful role in the civic administration.BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar said the party would take a call based on how power is shared. “If we do not get proper respect in the civic setup, we will have to think differently. Sitting in the opposition is also an option,” he said.Story continues below this adBJP leader Niranjan Davkhare said the party would not shy away from playing the role of an effective opposition if required. “We have responsibilities towards the people who voted for us. If needed, we can sit in the opposition and ensure that the administration functions properly,” he said.In the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation, the result has been very close. The Shinde-led Sena has won 52 seats in the 122-member House, just one more than the BJP’s 51. As no party has crossed the majority mark, talks are continuing.BJP leaders in the region have said the party should be allowed to try forming the civic government, given its near-equal strength.