Premium

Ritu Tawde elected unopposed as Mumbai’s 78th mayor amid slogan-shouting, Opposition walkouts

Focus on illegal immigrants, Marathi promotion and civic projects

Written by: Nayonika Bose, Pratip Acharya

4 min readFeb 12, 2026 12:11 PM IST

Ritu Tawde has become the 8th woman mayor of Mumbai and only the second BJP leader to hold the post since the mayoral office was formally instituted in the BMC in 1931.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s Ritu Tawde was on Tuesday elected unopposed as Mumbai’s 78th mayor, marking the end of nearly four years of administrator’s rule in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in a session marred by slogan shouting, heated exchanges between the ruling alliance and the Opposition, and walkouts by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress. Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Ghadi was elected unopposed as the city’s deputy mayor.

Tawde’s elevation brings to a close the administrator’s regime imposed on March 8, 2022, after the general body was dissolved following the deferment of local body elections in Maharashtra. She becomes the eighth woman mayor of Mumbai and only the second BJP leader to hold the post since the mayoral office was formally instituted in the BMC in 1931.

In her first address after assuming charge, Tawde outlined her priorities for the city, reiterating a focus on action against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and promoting Marathi language and culture. “Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has promised a Marathi mayor, and today I, a Marathi, have taken charge as the mayor in this iconic House,” she said.

Fadnavis attended the ceremony along with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and senior Mahayuti leaders, including BJP MLA Ameet Satam, Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale and cabinet minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha.

Tawde also spoke about plans to strengthen Marathi cultural initiatives through the civic body. “Although there is a Marathi language department in the BMC, the department will also work further towards promoting the language. The corporation will work and support in promoting the Marathi language, art… we will also build a special theatre for Marathi films, while all theatres will be renovated along the lines of the Ravindra Natya Mandir,” she said.

The proceedings witnessed tense moments as the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress objected to the appointment of BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani as presiding officer for the session. BJP corporators raised slogans of “Modi Modi”, while Opposition members responded with chants of “Thackeray Thackeray”.

“We have many senior corporators among us. Shraddha Jadhav has been elected for the seventh time. All the corporators across the parties will work together for the development of the city, but we oppose that the commissioner has been placed on the dais as the presiding officer instead of our senior corporators, which the rule stipulates,” said Kishori Pednekar, Leader of the Opposition in the House.

Story continues below this ad

Responding to the objections, Gagrani said that since the civic body had been under an administrator for the past four years, he had been mandated by the state government to preside over the first session. A senior civic official told The Indian Express that while the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act traditionally provides for the outgoing mayor or the senior most corporator to act as presiding officer, a new provision introduced after the imposition of administrator’s rule in 2022 enabled the commissioner to take on the role for the first meeting.

“Since the house is convening after four years of administrator’s rule, the commissioner who was in the role of the administrator took charge of the presiding officer. This new provision was incorporated in the act after the administrator’s rule came into place in 2022,” an official said.

Tensions continued during the session, with Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators staging a walkout during deputy mayor Sanjay Ghadi’s speech. Ghadi, who was earlier part of the undivided Shiv Sena, had joined the Eknath Shinde-led faction after the party’s split.

Nayonika Bose

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents. Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T) Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area. Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including: Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft). Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout). Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks. Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration. Tweets @nayonikakb ... Read More

Pratip Acharya

Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai. Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in: Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting. City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region. Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis: National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019. State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis. Experience Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies: Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014). Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express. Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Recommendations...

Mar 14: Latest News

Live Blog