Who is Ritu Tawde, BJP’s pick for Mumbai mayor post?
Mahayuti alliance nominates two-term corporator for the top post, making her the first non-Sena mayor for the city in several decades
Mumbai was witness to a historic political moment on Saturday (February 7) when Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), picked the saffron party’s experienced corporator Ritu Tawde as the city’s mayoral candidate. Her choice meant that the top post would not be held by the Shiv Sena in many decades.
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The last time the Maximum City had a mayor was between 2019 and 2022, when the undivided Sena’s Kishori Pednekar was in charge. The Sena, which is now led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde following its 2022 split, nominated Sanjay Shankar Ghadi as Tawde’s deputy.
Mumbai's first non-Sena mayor in many decades
- Historic pick: The Mahayuti alliance, led by the BJP, chose Ritu Tawde as Mumbai’s new mayor on February 7, ending the Shiv Sena’s decades-long hold on the post. If elected on February 11, she’ll be the BJP’s second mayor ever after Prabhakar Pai (1982–83).
- Political context: The decision was taken by alliance leaders earlier in the week and announced by Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam on February 6. The Mahayuti had a strong showing in the January 15 civic polls, including in the BMC, making her win almost certain.
- Who she is: Tawde is a two-term corporator from Ghatkopar West (Ward 132), a former Congress leader who joined the BJP in 2012. She’s known for work in education, civic administration, and public services, and has chaired the BMC’s Education Committee.
- Why her choice matters: The BJP had said the next mayor would be a Marathi-speaking face, and Tawde beat other contenders like Rajashree Shirwadkar, Sheetal Gambhir, and Asha Marathe. She’s also been active in the BJP Mahila Morcha and women’s development bodies.
- What’s next: Tawde called her nomination “historic” and thanked the party leadership, while the BJP promised a corruption-free administration. Notably, the BMC has been run by a municipal commissioner without elected corporators since 2022, making this transition especially significant.
The decision to pick the new mayor from the BJP was taken at a meeting of the leaders of the alliance held earlier this week. On Friday (February 6), Ritu’s name was announced during a meeting of BJP corporators convened at the headquarters of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam formally declared her candidature, saying the decision had the backing of the saffron party’s top brass.
It may be mentioned here that the Mahayuti alliance delivered an impressive performance in the January 15 urban local body polls in Maharashtra, including in the BMC.
Who is Ritu Tawde?
Tawde, who is a two-term corporator from Ghatkopar West and shifted from the Congress to the BJP in 2012, brings with her a sea of experience in grassroots politics in the fields of civic administration and public welfare. The leader, who has also worked as the chairperson of the BMC’s Education Committee, is known for her hands-on method and community engagement and has asserted herself as a leader with administrative efficiency and local connections.
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Her choice became all the more prominent as the BJP had asserted that the next mayor of Mumbai would be a Marathi-speaking individual, and she left behind some other names who were also being seen as potential mayoral candidates, such as Rajashree Shirwadkar, Sheetal Gambhir, and Asha Marathe.
Tawde, whose political journey started at the ward level (she currently represents Ward 132), established her reliability as a civic leader by winning local elections and winning her constituency’s trust. Besides education, the BJP leader has also made contributions to urban infrastructure, civic administration, and public services.
The mayor-pick has also earned goodwill with her ability in organisational politics. She has been a former state vice president and district president for Mumbai’s eastern suburbs in the Mahila Morcha, the BJP’s women’s wing.
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Tawde has also been associated with the Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal, an agency dedicated to women’s development in Maharashtra, as its director and worked closely with government-linked skill development and professional training programmes.
Ritu Tawde is a two-time corporator from Ghatkopar. She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2012 after leaving the Congress. She represents Ward 132 and is regarded as a senior corporator and a prominent, assertive Marathi face of the party.
If Tawde wins the mayoral election which will be held on February 11 (her victory seems to be more of a formality given the Mahayuti’s dominating show in the Mumbai civic polls), as it was confirmed by the BMC, she would become the BJP’s second mayor for India’s financial capital, after Prabhakar Pai, who had held the post in 1982-83, a few years after the BJP took birth.
Tawde called her choice 'historic'
Tawde herself called the pick "historic" and expressed her gratitude to the BJP's leadership for trusting her. Satam said the new dispensation led by Tawde would work towards giving Mumbai a corruption-free administration.
Since the tenure of BMC corporators ended in 2022 (elections took place after nine years), the civic body has been operational without elected public representatives, with a municipal commissioner carrying out the role of the city’s administrator.