BJP Names Ritu Tawade as Mumbai Mayoral Candidate; Shiv Sena (Shinde) Picks Sanjay Ghadi for Deputy Mayor Polls

The announcement was made as nomination papers for the civic posts are set to be submitted before the election officer. BJP leader Amit Satam formally declared Tawade’s candidature, confirming that the party would stake claim to the mayor’s post after emerging as the single largest party in the BMC.

Ritu Tawade, a corporator from Ward 132, is poised to become Mumbai’s eighth woman Mayor if elected. Her nomination signals BJP’s intent to consolidate its growing influence in the country’s richest civic body, which controls an annual budget of approximately ₹74,000 crore. The BJP won 89 seats in the 227-member BMC, securing 21.58 per cent of the overall vote share, while the combined vote share of its winning candidates stood at 45.22 per cent.

The Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), which secured 29 seats in the civic polls, has nominated Sanjay Ghadi, a corporator from Ward 5, for the Deputy Mayor’s post. Party secretary Sanjay More said Ghadi will hold the position for the next 15 months, as part of a rotational arrangement decided by the party leadership.

According to Shiv Sena leaders, the Deputy Mayor’s post will be rotated every 15 months among four corporators. The move is aimed at maintaining internal balance within the party and providing representation to senior leaders. Ghadi, who was earlier associated with the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), later joined the Shinde-led Sena.

Political activity around the BMC has intensified amid indications that the Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) may also field its own candidate for the mayor’s post, potentially setting the stage for a closely watched contest.

While the Mayor is the ceremonial head of the BMC and presides over corporation meetings, real executive authority lies with the Municipal Commissioner, an IAS officer appointed by the state government. Nevertheless, the mayoral election carries strong political significance due to the BMC’s financial power and its influence over Mumbai’s civic administration.

The BMC election is regarded as one of the most important civic contests in India. From 1997 to 2017, the undivided Shiv Sena ruled the corporation for two decades. With BJP now emerging as the largest party, the February 11 vote is expected to shape the future power dynamics of Mumbai’s civic governance.