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Mumbai, February 7, 2026 — In a landmark shift in the city’s political landscape, the Bharatiya Janata Party has named corporator Ritu Tawde as its candidate for the post of Mumbai Mayor, ending the Shiv Sena’s uninterrupted 25‑year hold over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
Tawde, a two‑term corporator from Ghatkopar and former chairperson of the civic body’s Education Committee, is set to assume office following the mayoral election scheduled for February 11. Her nomination reflects the BJP’s growing influence in Mumbai’s civic politics, where it emerged as the single largest party in the recent polls.
The Shiv Sena, which had long used the mayoral post as a symbol of its dominance in the city, will now settle for the deputy mayor’s chair. Sanjay Shankar Ghadi has been nominated for the role, with the party planning to rotate the position among its corporators over the coming months.
The development marks the end of an era for the Sena, which had held the mayoral post continuously since 2001. For the BJP, Tawde’s elevation is both a political milestone and a symbolic victory, underscoring its ambition to reshape civic governance in India’s financial capital.
Public reactions have been mixed. BJP supporters hailed the move as the beginning of a new chapter in accountability and modernization, while Sena loyalists described the loss as a historic setback. As Mumbai prepares for the mayoral election, all eyes are on Ritu Tawde, who will soon step into a role that has long defined the city’s political identity.
