BJP Clinches Mumbai Mayor Post: Ritu Tawde Takes Charge, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Ghadi Named Deputy Mayor

In a dramatic political turnaround for India’s financial capital, BJP leader Ritu Tawde was officially elected as the 78th Mayor of Mumbai on February 11, 2026, ending a 44-year wait for the party to reclaim the city’s top civic post. The historic win marks the collapse of decades-long Shiv Sena dominance—first under the undivided Sena and later the UBT faction—over the powerful Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the richest civic body in the country.

Tawde’s elevation came through an unopposed victory after the Opposition, including Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress, chose not to field candidates. Alongside her, Sanjay Ghadi of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena was also elected unopposed as Deputy Mayor, signaling the consolidation of the BJP–Shinde alliance within the civic administration. The election was conducted at the BMC headquarters under the supervision of Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde present at the ceremony.

The mayoral shift follows the January 15, 2026 BMC elections in which the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, ahead of Shiv Sena (UBT) with 65 seats, the Shinde faction with 29, and Congress with 24. The result effectively snapped the Thackeray family’s 25-year grip on Mumbai’s civic power structure.

A three-term corporator from Ward 132 (Ghatkopar West), Ritu Tawde brings prior administrative experience, having served as Chairperson of the BMC Education Committee, and is known for her focus on public welfare and infrastructure. While the Mayor’s tenure is typically 2.5 years, sources within the alliance indicate that Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi—representing Ward 5 (Dahisar/R-North)—may serve for 15 months as part of a rotational power-sharing formula among alliance partners. The new leadership now takes charge of a civic body that commands a multi-thousand-crore budget and plays a critical role in shaping Mumbai’s infrastructure, housing, and public services landscape.