Deputy mayor nominee Sanjay Ghadi said Mumbai’s civic leadership must be given more powers to serve citizens better. After winning BMC election 2026, he plans to approach the urban development department for greater delegation to elected representatives
BJP mayoral candidate Ritu Tawde, and Shiv Sena’s deputy mayoral candidate Sanjay Shankar Ghadi (left), file their nominations. PIC/PTI
A day after filing his nomination for the post of deputy mayor of Mumbai, Sanjay Ghadi said that this role and that of the mayor should come with more powers. Speaking to mid-day, Ghadi said that while these positions come with the responsibility of addressing citizens’ grievances and queries, they are more symbolic than functional. “I will write to the urban development (UD) department asking for delegation of more powers to the mayor and deputy mayor,” he added. According to the numbers presented in the last budget, the BMC has a budget of Rs 74,000 crore, much higher than those of several smaller states in India.
However, unlike global cities where mayors have direct control over budgets, officials, and daily administration, Mumbai’s mayor and deputy mayor have very limited authority and their roles are largely ceremonial (chairing BMC meetings and representing the city at official events), while the majority of the executive power rests with the municipal commissioner, a senior bureaucrat appointed by the Maharashtra government.
The UD department governs all municipal local bodies in the state. The ministry is headed by Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena leader from whose party Ghadi won the civic election. “Shinde saheb has a deep understanding of municipal functioning and of the expectations and work the common man approaches a corporator, mayor, or deputy mayor for. I am sure he will look into the request,” Ghadi said. Ghadi further emphasised that he is not seeking political influence. “More power means the ability to address and resolve citizens’ issues effectively,” he added.
In a detailed conversation with mid-day, Ghadi claimed that he followed the school of thought of the late Bal Thackeray and late Anand Dighe, who believed that getting work done for the common man is what matters, regardless of whether one has formal powers or not. “I will follow the same principle when it comes to meeting public expectations as deputy mayor of the city,” Ghadi stated.
Political equation
In 2022, Eknath Shinde engineered a split in the undivided Shiv Sena, and the 2026 BMC elections were the first polls in Mumbai after this division. Shinde’s Sena, in alliance with the BJP, contested the civic elections, with the BJP fielding candidates for 137 seats and winning 89, while Shinde’s faction contested 90 seats and secured 29 victories. As a result, the BJP got the mayor’s post, and Shinde appointed Ghadi as deputy.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
