BJP Names Ritu Tawde as Mumbai Mayor Candidate; Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Ghadi Tapped as Deputy

BJP Names Ritu Tawde as Mumbai Mayor Pick; Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Ghadi Selected as Deputy

Alliance Finalises Leadership for Mumbai Civic Body

In a key political move in Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced senior corporator Ritu Tawde as its candidate for the post of Mumbai Mayor. The decision comes as part of the seat-sharing understanding within the ruling Mahayuti alliance that governs the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). As per the arrangement, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) has nominated corporator Sanjay Ghadi for the Deputy Mayor’s post, reflecting coordinated power-sharing between the allies.

Ritu Tawde’s Political and Civic Background

Ritu Tawde is regarded as an experienced municipal leader with a long association with civic governance in Mumbai. A multiple-term corporator from the Ghatkopar region, she has previously handled key responsibilities, including serving as Chairperson of the BMC Education Committee. Her administrative exposure, organisational work within the BJP, and grassroots connect contributed to her selection as the alliance’s mayoral face.

The mayor’s post for this term is reserved for a woman from the general category, which further strengthened Tawde’s candidature within the party’s leadership calculations.

Sanjay Ghadi Picked for Deputy Mayor Role

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Ghadi has been chosen as the alliance nominee for Deputy Mayor. A corporator from Mumbai’s Ward 5, Ghadi is considered an influential local representative within the Shinde-led Sena faction. His nomination aligns with the alliance formula aimed at ensuring representation for both partners in the civic administration.

Party insiders suggest his appointment could also be part of a rotational or tenure-sharing understanding within the Sena bloc.

Mahayuti Holds Comfortable Majority

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance holds a numerical advantage in the 227-member BMC council, placing Tawde in a strong position ahead of the mayoral election. With the coalition comfortably above the majority mark, her victory is widely viewed as a formality unless there is any last-minute political shift.

The alliance’s dominance in the civic body has allowed it to consolidate leadership roles and streamline governance planning for Mumbai.

Return of Elected Leadership at BMC

The upcoming election is politically significant as it marks the restoration of elected leadership in the BMC after a prolonged period of administrative rule. Since the expiry of the previous council’s term in 2022, the corporation had been functioning under an appointed administrator.

The formation of a new mayoral team signals the resumption of full democratic functioning within India’s richest municipal body.

High-Stakes Civic Governance Ahead

Mumbai’s mayoral office carries both symbolic and administrative weight, given the BMC’s massive budget and responsibility for managing infrastructure, public health, sanitation, and urban services in the country’s financial capital.

If elected, Tawde’s tenure is expected to focus on urban infrastructure upgrades, civic service delivery, and coordination with the state government. With alliance equations firmly in place, the mayoral election is now set to formalise the new leadership at the helm of Mumbai’s civic administration.