The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday named Ghatkopar corporator Ritu Tawde as its candidate for the post of Mumbai mayor in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
The announcement was made by Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam at the BMC headquarters in the presence of senior party leaders and corporators.
Who is Ritu Tawde?
Ritu Tawde is a two-time corporator from Ghatkopar and represents Ward 132. She joined the BJP in 2012 after leaving the Congress. Within the party, she is seen as a senior leader and is known for her aggressive style and strong Marathi identity. She represents Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, an area the BJP has been keen to give greater political representation.
Tawde was among the leading names being considered for the mayor’s post, along with Sheetal Gambhir, Rajashree Shirwadkar, Asha Marathe, Priti Satam and Shrikala Pillai. The BJP had earlier said that its mayor would be a Marathi-speaking leader, which strengthened Tawde’s chances. Her name had also been widely discussed in the days leading up to the announcement, along with Sion corporator Rajeshree Shirwadkar.
Shiv Sena names Deputy Mayor candidate
Meanwhile, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena announced Sanjay Ghadi as its candidate for the post of deputy mayor, which will have a tenure of one and a half years. Calling her nomination a “historic moment”, Tawde thanked the party leadership for trusting her with the responsibility.
Ameet Satam said the new leadership would focus on making Mumbai corruption-free and would govern with the support and blessings of the city’s residents.
The BJP–Shinde-led alliance remains confident of winning both the mayor and deputy mayor posts, even if the Opposition fields candidates. The alliance currently has the support of 118 corporators in the 227-member civic body, giving it a clear numerical advantage.
When were BMC elections held?
The elections for the BMC and 28 other civic bodies across Maharashtra were held on January 15. In the BMC election, the BJP won 89 seats, while the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde secured 29 seats. Together, the two parties crossed the halfway mark of 144 seats required to run the civic body.
Later, on January 22, a lottery was conducted to decide the reservation category for mayoral posts. In Mumbai, it was decided that the mayor’s post would be reserved for a woman from the General category. Other cities such as Pune, Dhule, Nanded-Waghala and Navi Mumbai also got women mayors from the General category.