Meet Ritu Tawde, three-term BJP corporator now Mumbai's 78th mayor

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Ritu Tawde was elected mayor of Mumbai on Wednesday, while Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Ghadi was chosen as the deputy mayor.

Both leaders were elected unopposed during a special meeting of the general body of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). After the formal process concluded at the BMC headquarters, Tawde assumed charge as Mumbai’s 78th mayor. Tawde represents Ward 132, while Ghadi was elected from Ward 5 in the January 15 civic polls.

BJP returns to mayor’s post after 44 years

With Tawde’s appointment, the BJP has secured the mayor’s post in Mumbai after a gap of 44 years. She is only the second BJP leader to hold the position in the city. The election was conducted by BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani in his role as the state-appointed presiding officer. The proceedings were held in the historic Committee Hall at the BMC headquarters.

The BMC had been functioning without an elected general body since March 2022, with Commissioner Gagrani managing day-to-day affairs during this period.

Who is Ritu Tawde?

Ritu Tawde, 53, first entered the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as a corporator from Ward No. 127 in 2012. She later won the election from Ward No. 121 in Ghatkopar in 2017. In the civic elections held on January 15, Tawde secured a win from Ward No. 132.

A three-term corporator from Ghatkopar West, Tawde has built her political career at the grassroots level. She has also served twice as a corporator from Ghatkopar East, a politically important suburban ward in Mumbai.

Over the years, Tawde has handled several important responsibilities within the BMC. She has served as Chairperson of the Education Committee and as Vice Chairperson of the Improvements Committee. She has also been a member of key civic bodies, working on education policy, urban infrastructure, public services and civic administration.

Apart from her municipal work, Tawde has been active in party organisation. She has served as a former state vice-president and district president of the BJP Mahila Morcha in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs.

She has also been associated with the Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal as a director. In addition, she has worked with government-linked skill development and professional training programmes, including initiatives under the Khadi and Village Industries framework, NDTV reported.

BMC poll results: How the numbers stacked up

In the recent elections to the 227-member BMC, the BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats. Its ally, Shiv Sena, secured 29 seats. Together, the ruling alliance had 118 corporators, crossing the majority mark of 114 and claiming the mayor’s post.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), which had controlled the civic body for 25 years since 1997, won 65 seats. Its allies, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), won six and one seat, respectively.

The BMC is considered the richest municipal corporation in India, with a budget of ₹74,427 crore for 2025-26.