BJP's Ritu Tawde takes over as Mayor of Mumbai, Shiv Sena's Sanjay Ghadi is her deputy

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde witnessed the proceedings from the gallery as Municipal Commissioner & Administrator Bhushan Gagrani conducted the proceedings.

Mumbai: Amid chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram...Jai Shree Ram’, ‘Modi…Modi’ and ‘Deva Bhau...Deva Bhau’ - history was created in the iconic BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters as India’s richest civic body got the second BJP Mayor in over four decade’s time.

BJP’s Ritu Tawde was elected unopposed as the Mayor of Mumbai.

From 1982-83, Dr Prabhakar Pai of the BJP was the Mayor of Bombay, as the metropolis was then called - and came to occupy the post just after the 1980 formation of the BJP.

The undivided Thackeray-family led Shiv Sena has been in commanding position in the BMC for the past 25 years and hence the Mayor used to be from the Shiv Sena.

In fact, Dr Pai hailed from Barkur in the Udupi district of Karnataka.

Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Ghadi was elected unopposed as the BMC’s Deputy Mayor.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde witnessed the proceedings from the gallery as Municipal Commissioner & Administrator Bhushan Gagrani conducted the proceedings of the general body meeting.

“We will give an efficient administration in Mumbai and fulfil the dreams of common Mumbaikar…we are behind them (Mayor and corporators). We will ensure that the transformation of Mumbai gathers steam,” Fadnavis told reporters.

In the 227-member House, where the magic figure is 114, the BJP has emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats. Its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, won 29 seats, taking the Maha Yuti tally to 118, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP secured three seats.

On the opposition side, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) won 65 seats. Its allies — the Raj Thackeray-led MNS (six) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) (one) — take the Opposition bloc’s strength to 72. The Congress, which contested independently, won 24 seats.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), which is the biggest opposition party, did not field any candidate.

“Ritu Tawde is experienced and knows the pulse of people. As a Mayor, she will fulfill dreams of common Mumbaikar. Sanjay Ghadi is also an experienced hand. We are celebrating the centenary year of Balasaheb Thackeray and we will fulfill his dreams,” said Fadnavis.

“I thank Mumbaikars and they voted for Mahayuti and want development. I congratulate Ritu Tawde and Sanjay Ghadi. Both are efficient and experienced,” added Shinde.

Mayor after four years

The last five-year term of the BMC - elected in 2017 ended on March 7, 2022. Since then there is no general body and Mayor. The BMC’s Municipal Commissioner had been acting as a state government-appointed Administrator. The elections were delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic and legal hurdles like Bombay High Court cases on ward restructuring and Supreme Court petitions on the breaching of 50% reservation limit in local body polls.