Mumbai: BJP Corporator Ritu Tawde has been named the Mahayuti alliance’s candidate for the Mumbai Mayor’s post, BJP President Ameet Satam announced on Friday. She is expected to file her nomination shortly for the top post of Asia’s richest civic body.
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has nominated Corporator Sanjay Ghadi as the alliance’s candidate for Deputy Mayor. The Mahayuti secured a historic mandate in the recently concluded civic elections and the Mayor’s election is scheduled for February 11.
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Tawde’s name was announced at a meeting of BJP Corporators convened at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters on Friday evening. Satam formally declared her candidature, saying that the decision was taken after consultations with the party’s top leadership.
The Mayor’s post is reserved for a woman from the general category, prompting the BJP to consider experienced women leaders. Tawde, a three-time Corporator from Ghatkopar, has previously served as Chairperson of the BMC’s Education Committee and is regarded as well-versed in civic administration.
If Tawde wins, as the numbers currently favour her, she will become the BJP’s second-ever Mayor in Mumbai, after Prabhakar Pai, who served in the post from 1982 to 1983.
As per the alliance arrangement, the Deputy Mayor’s post will go to the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Dahisar Corporator Sanjay Ghadi from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena will file his nomination for the Deputy Mayor’s post. His tenure is expected to be 1.25 years, as the Shiv Sena intends to split the term to give an opportunity to four of its corporators.
Ghadi was one of the senior former Shiv Sena (UBT) Corporators who switched sides to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
The election for Mumbai’s 78th Mayor is scheduled to be held at the BMC headquarters on February 11 at 12 noon. The vote will mark the end of nearly four years of administrative rule at the civic body, which had been functioning under an appointed administrator.
In the recently held elections in January, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a historic victory, ending the three-decade dominance of the Thackeray family over India’s wealthiest civic body. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, won 29 seats, bringing their combined total to 118, past the majority mark of 114 in the 227-member House.
On the opposition side, the Shiv Sena (UBT) put up a strong fight to become the second-largest party with 65 seats, followed by the Congress with 24, while Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM and Raj Thackeray’s MNS secured 8 and 6 seats respectively.
Tawde brings significant experience in municipal governance. She first represented Ward No. 127 in 2012, and later moved on to represent Ward No. 121 in Ghatkopar in 2017, followed by Ward No. 132 in the 2025 elections.
According to a report, her nomination is seen as a strategic move by the BJP to present a ‘Marathi Hindu’ face, while also rewarding a loyal party member with extensive experience in civic governance.
As per the lottery system, the mayor post of India’s richest civic body is reserved for the open category woman corporator. Along with Tawde, other names in consideration were Rajashree Shirvadkar, Sheetal Gambhir Desai, Harshita Narvekar, Alka Kerkar, Swapna Mhatre and Tejasvini Ghosalkar.
BJP leader Amit Satam declared Tawade’s name, while Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale announced Ghadi’s candidature. Ghadi will serve as Deputy Mayor for 15 months as the Shiv Sena intends to give an opportunity to four of its corporators by splitting the deputy mayor’s term.
In the recently concluded BMC elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, securing 89 out of the 227 seats, while the Shiv Sena won 29 seats. With the ruling alliance surpassing the halfway mark of 114 seats, it is well-positioned to claim the mayor’s post.
