MUMBAI: Keeping with its promise of appointing a Marathi mayor in Mumbai, the Mahayuti alliance on Saturday chose Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Ritu Tawde as its candidate for the post, while Sanjay Ghadi from the Shiv Sena was nominated for deputy mayor. The two nominations were filed at the municipal secretary’s office at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters.
Amid cheers and suspense, Tawde’s candidature was announced by the BJP’s Mumbai president, Ameet Satam, while Ghadi’s name was declared by former Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale at the BJP’s newly occupied office in the south wing of the BMC’s heritage building.
The announcements were marked by Vedic chants and the blowing of a conch, symbolising what leaders described as a new beginning for the Mahayuti. The saffron alliance created history last month by wresting control of India’s richest municipal corporation from the erstwhile undivided Shiv Sena, which had governed it for more than 25 years.
BJP insiders said the party has already prepared a five-year development blueprint for Mumbai. They added that the state leadership has directed corporators to maintain a clean record, warning that even “a single corruption-related complaint or misdemeanour received will invite resignation”.
While the BJP had considered names such as Rajashree Shirvadkar, Sheetal Gambhir, and Alka Kerkar for the mayoral post, Tawde ultimately emerged as the preferred choice, with her Kokani-Marathi roots weighing strongly in her favour.
“We had some options in front of us, but Tawde was a second-time corporator,” said Satam. “She was our Mahila Morcha president, and she is also a Kokani-Marathi. That is an important factor that went in her favour. Tawde has been in the BJP for the last 14 years.”
Tawde, 52, is a corporator from ward 132 in Ghatkopar. She was earlier with the Congress before joining the BJP in 2012, and was elected as a corporator that same year. During her first term, she chaired the education committee and served as the vice president of the construction committee for the suburbs.
Meanwhile, in a departure from the norm, Ghadi will serve as deputy mayor for only 15 months, rather than the usual two-and-a-half-year term. Shiv Sena insiders told HT that party chief Shinde wants to give other corporators a chance to serve as deputy mayor.
Ghadi was elected from ward No. 5 (Magathane), winning by over 15,000 votes. He had also won from the same ward in the 2017 BMC elections, representing the undivided Shiv Sena, before switching from Shiv Sena (UBT) to the Shinde-led faction ahead of the 2026 civic polls.
Speaking to the media, Ghadi said, “I have been nominated for the deputy mayor’s post with blessings from Shindeji. Roads, water supply and slum sanitation will be on my priority list.”
The mayoral elections are scheduled for February 11 at the BMC headquarters.