For the first time in 25 years, Sena has lost its grip on the top civic job, with Mahayuti numbers in the House strong enough to ensure its candidate is elected unopposed
(From right) BJP’s mayoral candidate, Ritu Tawde, and Shiv Sena’s nomination for deputy mayor, Sanjay Shankar Ghadi, at the BMC headquarters on Saturday. Pic/PTI
Three weeks after the BMC elections concluded on January 16, the Mahayuti alliance on Saturday nominated BJP’s Ritu Tawde as its mayoral candidate. It also registered Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Ghadi for the position of deputy mayor.
Given the strength of the alliance — comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and RPI-A — in the general body of the BMC, both candidates are likely to be elected unopposed. The mayoral elections are slated to be held at the BMC headquarters on February 11.
Tawde’s nominations have put an end to speculations about who will occupy the top legislative position in India’s richest municipal corporation. She was a front-runner for the position, while the BJP remained adamant it would install its own mayor in Mumbai as a representative of the Marathi-speaking community.
The mayoral election is being followed keenly for multiple reasons. For one, this is the first time in 25 years that a non-Shiv Sena representative is set to take office. Also, the city will finally get a mayor more than three years after the office fell vacant in March 2022.
A numbers game
Mahayuti’s candidate, Ritu Tawde, has the numbers on her side. Her own party, BJP, emerged as the largest party in BMC, with 89 elected representatives. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena secured 29 seats, giving Mahayuti a simple majority of 118 elected representatives in the 227-member general body.
In the opposition, Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 65 seats, while its ally MNS secured six.
Who is Ritu Tawde?
Ritu Tawde, aged 49, is a two-time corporator from Ghatkopar.
>> She was elected from ward 132, with 19,810 votes.
>> She faced off Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Kranti Suresh Mohite in a squared fight (with only two candidates) in her ward and scored a winning margin of 16,465 votes.
>> She was earlier chairman of BMC’s education committee, and a member of the standing committee
Other important posts in the House
Leader of opposition: Rumoured to be Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former mayor, Kishori Pednekar
Leader of the house: Tipped to be group leader of BJP and party whip, Ganesh Khankar
Feb 11
Date on which the Mumbai mayoral elections will be held
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
