Sat Feb 07 06:26:03 UTC 2026: # BJP Nominates Ritu Tawade for Mumbai Mayor, Shiv Sena Names Sanjay Ghadi as Deputy Mayor

The Story:
On February 7, 2026, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominated corporator Ritu Tawade from Mumbai’s Ward 132 as its candidate for the upcoming Mumbai Mayor election. Simultaneously, its ally, the Shiv Sena, declared Sanjay Ghadi as their candidate for the Deputy Mayor’s post. BJP leader Amit Satam announced Ms. Tawade’s name, while Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale revealed Mr. Ghadi’s candidature at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters.

Mr. Ghadi, a former Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator who switched to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, will serve as deputy mayor for a 15-month term. The Shiv Sena plans to split the deputy mayor’s term to allow multiple corporators the opportunity to serve in the role. The BJP holds the largest number of seats (89) in the 227-member BMC, while the Shiv Sena has 29 seats, giving their alliance a comfortable majority to secure the mayoral post.

Key Points:

  • The BJP nominated Ritu Tawade as its candidate for Mumbai Mayor.
  • The Shiv Sena nominated Sanjay Ghadi as its candidate for Deputy Mayor.
  • Amit Satam (BJP) and Rahul Shewale (Shiv Sena) made the announcements.
  • The BJP holds 89 seats, and Shiv Sena holds 29 seats in the BMC, giving them a majority.
  • Sanjay Ghadi will serve as Deputy Mayor for 15 months, with the term split to allow other Shiv Sena corporators to serve.
  • The BMC has been under state government-appointed administration since March 7, 2022.
  • The BMC’s budget for 2025-26 is pegged at ₹74,450 crore.

Key Takeaways:

  • The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance appears poised to control the Mumbai mayoral office due to its majority in the BMC.
  • The Shiv Sena is strategically sharing the Deputy Mayor’s term, potentially to maintain internal party cohesion and reward loyalty.
  • The BMC, with its substantial budget, remains a politically significant and valuable entity.

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