BJP’s Ritu Tawde to Become Mumbai Mayor, Shiv Sena Leader Named Deputy
BJP and Shiv Sena finalise a power-sharing arrangement in Mumbai civic body, confirming mayor and deputy mayor posts.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated senior corporator Ritu Tawde as its candidate for the post of Mayor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), marking a significant development in the leadership of Asia’s richest civic body. The announcement was made on February 7, 2026, amid preparations for the civic leadership polls scheduled for February 11.
Tawde, a three-term corporator representing Ward 132 (Ghatkopar), was declared the BJP’s nominee by the party’s Mumbai unit leadership. Her nomination concludes internal deliberations over the mayoral candidate after the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the January civic elections.
In a strategic alliance move, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has named Sanjay Shankar Ghadi, a corporator from Ward 5 (Magathane), as its nominee for the Deputy Mayor position. Under the terms of the alliance, Ghadi is expected to serve in the deputy post for the first 15 months of the five-year term, part of a broader power-sharing arrangement between the two parties.
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The BJP–Shiv Sena “Mahayuti” alliance commands a combined majority in the 227-member BMC, with the BJP holding 89 seats and Shiv Sena 29, well above the simple majority threshold of 114 corporators. This numerical edge is widely seen as ensuring the alliance’s control of both mayoral posts when voting is held at the BMC headquarters on February 11.
Political analysts note that the mayor’s post in Mumbai — where the municipal budget exceeds that of some Indian states — carries both administrative and symbolic weight. The leadership will be responsible for shaping civic governance priorities, including infrastructure development, public services and fiscal oversight.
Tawde’s selection also reflects the BJP’s broader strategic positioning in Maharashtra’s urban centres following recent local elections. Her experience as a corporator and committee head positions her as a visible face of the party’s governance agenda in India’s financial capital.
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