Mumbai Mayoral Race: Mahayuti Names BJP’s Ritu Tawde As Mayor Candidate, Shiv Sena's Sanjay Ghadi As Her Deputy

New Delhi: Following its historic victory in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially cleared the decks for the appointment of the city’s next Mayor as corporator Ritu Tawde has been named the Mahayuti alliance’s candidate for the Mumbai Mayor’s post, BJP president Ameet Satam announced on Friday. 

Tawde 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 announcement of Ritu Tawde’s candidacy took place during a meeting of BJP corporators at the BMC headquarters on Friday evening. In his formal declaration, Ameet Satam noted that her selection followed high-level consultations with the party’s central leadership.

The election for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 11.

A Strategic Choice

Tawde, a veteran leader from the Ghatkopar-Pant Nagar area (Ward 121/132), emerged as the frontrunner after intense internal deliberations within the Mahayuti alliance. Her selection is seen as a strategic move by the BJP to appoint a "Marathi Hindu" face, a criterion previously emphasised by Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, while rewarding a loyalist with deep roots in civic governance.

"Ritu Tawde has a proven track record of grassroots work and a thorough understanding of BMC’s administrative complexities," a senior BJP official stated. "She represents the party's vision for a modern, development-focused Mumbai."

Ritu Tawde Profile

A two-term corporator representing Ward 132 in Ghatkopar, Ritu Tawade is highly regarded within the BJP for her strong rapport with residents and her proactive approach to civic governance. 

Her ability to secure a victory in a Gujarati-dominated constituency, despite her Maratha heritage, underscores her broad political appeal. 

According to party leadership, Tawade’s deep grassroots involvement and proven track record make her exceptionally well-suited to manage complex public challenges.

Her deep experience in civic governance is highlighted by her previous tenure as Chairperson of the BMC Education Committee. 

Beyond her local ward, Tawde holds a significant leadership role as the Vice President of the Maharashtra State Mahila Morcha, reflecting her influence within the party’s state-level women’s wing.

Alliance arrangement

According to official figures released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BMC, the BJP won 89 seats, polling 11,79,273 votes, which accounts for 21.58 per cent of the total votes cast. 

Among all winning candidates, the BJP's vote share stands at 45.22 per cent, making it the single largest party in the civic body. 

Its alliance partner, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), secured 29 seats with 2,73,326 votes, translating into 5.00 per cent of the total vote share. 

Together, the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde) alliance emerged as the largest bloc in the BMC.

If Tawde wins, 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, with his tenure expected to be 1.25 years.

Ending the Four-Year Vacuum 

The upcoming election on February 11 will mark a significant milestone for Mumbai, as the city has been without an elected mayor or general body since March 2022. During this period, the civic body was managed by state-appointed administrators.

Tawde’s likely ascent to the Mayor’s bungalow (currently located at Byculla during the Malabar Hill redevelopment) signals the official end of the Thackeray family's three-decade-long dominance over Asia's richest municipal corporation.