Mumbai to Appoint Mayor After Four-Year Hiatus: BJP Nominates Ritu Tawde

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday announced Ritu Tawde as its candidate for the post of Mayor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena nominated Sanjay Ghadi for the position of Deputy Mayor.

The announcements come ahead of the mayoral elections scheduled to be held on February 11.

With this development, Mumbai is set to have a Mayor after a hiatus of nearly four years. The BMC has confirmed that the elections for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor will take place at the BMC headquarters after 11:30 pm on February 11.

The civic body has been functioning without elected corporators since 2022, following the completion of the previous council’s tenure. During this prolonged interregnum, the administration of the country’s richest municipal corporation has been overseen by the Municipal Commissioner.

Officials stated that the upcoming election process will be conducted under the supervision of BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, marking a key step toward restoring elected leadership at the civic body.

Ritu Tawde, a senior BJP leader with extensive experience in municipal governance, is widely regarded as a strong contender for the Mayor’s post. She has served multiple terms as a corporator and has held several key responsibilities within the BMC.

Tawde was first elected from Ward No. 127 in 2012, later represented Ward No. 121 in Ghatkopar in 2017, and secured a victory from Ward No. 132 in the 2025 elections. She has also served as the Chairperson of the Education Committee of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

The mayoral election is being closely watched, as it will determine the political leadership of Mumbai’s civic administration after an extended period of bureaucratic control, with significant implications for governance in the country’s financial capital.