Ritu Tawde, a BJP corporator from Ghatkopar East, will formally assume office as Mumbai’s mayor on Tuesday after being elected unopposed in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, marking a rare political shift in India’s richest civic body and ending Shiv Sena’s quarter-century hold on the post.
A two-time corporator, Tawde becomes the city’s eighth woman mayor and the BJP’s first in Mumbai since 1982–83, as the ruling Mahayuti alliance consolidates its position inside the municipal corporation even while the BMC continues to function under an administrator.
Who is Ritu Tawde? Two-time corporator from Ghatkopar East
Tawde has served as a corporator twice from Ghatkopar East, a key suburban ward that has been politically significant in Mumbai’s municipal contests. Her elevation positions her as a prominent BJP face in civic politics at a moment when the party is seeking to deepen its organizational footprint in the city.
Her selection also adds to the list of women who have held the mayoral office in Mumbai, a post that is politically symbolic even as executive authority in the civic body rests largely with the municipal commissioner.
Elected unopposed after Shiv Sena (UBT) opts out
The mayoral election followed the decision of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) not to field a candidate, clearing the way for an uncontested victory for the Mahayuti alliance.
The move effectively removed the possibility of a floor contest, allowing the BJP to secure the post without a vote and turning the mayoral election into a statement of political momentum rather than a numerical test.
BJP returns to Mumbai mayor’s chair for the first time in four decades
Tawde’s appointment is being read within Mumbai’s political circles as a milestone for the BJP, which has not held the mayor’s post since 1982–83.
It also ends a 25-year period during which the Shiv Sena dominated the symbolic top office of the BMC, even as alliances and control over Maharashtra’s government shifted repeatedly over the years.
Deputy mayor to be from Shinde Sena under rotational pact
Under a rotational arrangement within the Mahayuti alliance, Sanjay Ghadi of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will serve as deputy mayor.
The pairing underscores the internal power-sharing structure of the alliance, which includes the BJP and the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena, and reflects how civic positions are being distributed amid a broader recalibration of Maharashtra’s political map.
BMC remains under an administrator despite leadership change
The transition comes at a time when the BMC, despite its scale and influence, remains under an administrator. This has fueled continued debate over democratic accountability in Mumbai’s civic governance, especially as the municipal body oversees infrastructure, public health, roads, and major capital projects.
Even so, the mayoral office retains significant political value — particularly as a platform for visibility, agenda-setting and citywide messaging.
Fadnavis and Shinde expected at BMC headquarters
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde are expected to attend the proceedings at the BMC headquarters, underlining the political importance the alliance is attaching to the mayoral transition.
The presence of the state’s top leadership is also likely to frame the event as a consolidation moment for the Mahayuti, rather than a routine municipal ceremony.
What Tawde’s mayoralty could mean for Mumbai’s civic politics
While the mayor does not directly control the BMC’s administrative machinery, the office is central to the city’s political identity. Tawde’s rise is expected to sharpen the BJP’s claim to civic leadership in Mumbai and provide the party with a symbolic anchor in the corporation.
In a city where municipal politics often set the tone for state-level narratives, the unopposed election of a BJP mayor — and the retreat of Shiv Sena (UBT) from the contest — is likely to reverberate beyond the BMC chamber.
