BJP's Ritu Tawde elected Mumbai mayor; Shiv Sena gets deputy mayor

BJP corporator Ritu Tawde was chosen as the mayor of Mumbai on Wednesday, while Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Ghadi assumed office as deputy mayor, following elections held at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) last month.

Both Tawde and Ghadi secured their positions without contest during a specially convened session of the civic body’s general assembly, reflecting the numerical advantage held by the ruling alliance in the corporation.

After the conclusion of the formalities at the BMC headquarters, Tawde assumed office as Mumbai’s 78th mayor amid loud sloganeering from corporators belonging to both treasury and opposition benches, signalling the charged political atmosphere surrounding the proceedings.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde — who also heads the Shiv Sena — attended the ceremony and extended their congratulations to the newly elected mayor and her deputy, underscoring the importance the State leadership attached to the civic transition.

Tawde represents Ward 132 in the corporation, while Ghadi was elected from Ward 5 in the civic polls conducted on 15 January. Their elevation follows the reconstitution of the municipal body after a prolonged period during which the elected general house had not been in place.

In the absence of an elected council, the day-to-day functioning of the civic administration had been overseen by BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani since March 2022, with governance continuing under administrative supervision until fresh elections were completed.

Tawde’s assumption of the mayoralty marks a significant political milestone for the BJP, which has regained control of the top post in the country’s wealthiest municipal body after a gap of 44 years. She becomes only the second mayor from the party to hold office in Mumbai.

Earlier in the day, Gagrani conducted the electoral process in the BMC’s historic Committee Hall in his role as the state-appointed presiding officer, ensuring the formal completion of the selection procedure.

Prior to the session, corporators from both the BJP and the Shiv Sena gathered at Hutatma Chowk, where they offered floral tributes before making their way to the civic headquarters for the meeting.

In last month’s elections to the 227-member municipal corporation, the BJP emerged as the largest party, securing 89 seats, while the Shiv Sena obtained 29. Together, the alliance’s combined tally of 118 members comfortably crossed the halfway mark of 114, positioning it to secure the mayoralty.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), which had governed the civic body continuously for 25 years beginning in 1997, won 65 seats. Its allies — the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) — secured six seats and one seat respectively, marking a shift in the balance of power within the municipal chamber.

With PTI inputs