{"id":2458,"date":"2026-02-10T14:46:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T09:16:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/?p=2458"},"modified":"2026-02-10T14:51:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T09:21:16","slug":"ritu-tawde-to-take-charge-as-mumbais-8th-woman-mayor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/ritu-tawde-to-take-charge-as-mumbais-8th-woman-mayor\/","title":{"rendered":"Ritu Tawde to Take Charge as Mumbai\u2019s 8th Woman Mayor"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ritu Tawde to Take Charge as Mumbai\u2019s 8th Woman Mayor<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Mumbai | Undercover Editor News Channel, February 10, 2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Mumbai: BJP corporator Ritu Tawde is poised to assume office as Mumbai\u2019s next mayor after being elected unopposed in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), marking a historic shift in the city\u2019s civic power structure. Her formal election, scheduled for Wednesday at noon, will make her Mumbai\u2019s eighth woman mayor and bring an end to the Shiv Sena\u2019s uninterrupted 25-year control of the mayoral post.<\/p>\n\n

Tawde\u2019s elevation also marks the Bharatiya Janata Party\u2019s return to the mayor\u2019s office after more than 40 years\u2014the last BJP mayor in Mumbai being Prabhakar Pai, who served during 1982\u201383. The development reflects the growing dominance of the Mahayuti alliance in the country\u2019s richest civic body.<\/p>\n\n

The unopposed victory followed the decision of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) not to field a candidate against Tawde. The move reportedly came after internal deliberations at party chief Uddhav Thackeray\u2019s residence, acknowledging the numerical strength of the ruling alliance in the 227-member corporation.<\/p>\n\n

Former mayor and Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar said the decision was taken while respecting Marathi identity and the prevailing political arithmetic in the BMC.<\/p>\n\n

Alliance Power Consolidation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Under the Mahayuti arrangement, the deputy mayor\u2019s post will go to Sanjay Ghadi of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Ghadi, a corporator from Ward No. 5, will serve a 15-month tenure, after which the position will be rotated to give opportunities to other corporators within the alliance. The mayor\u2019s term will be for two and a half years.<\/p>\n\n

Ritu Tawde, 53, filed her nomination at the municipal secretary\u2019s office in the presence of senior Mahayuti leaders, including Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha and BJP Mumbai unit chief Ameet Satam. Speaking to reporters, Tawde struck a humble note, stating that she would function as a \u201csevak of Mumbai\u201d rather than merely occupying a ceremonial post.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cMy priority will be the safety, development and quality of life of Mumbai\u2019s citizens. I see this responsibility as service, not power,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n

Civic Experience and Political Journey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

A two-time corporator from Ghatkopar East, Tawde was first elected in 2012 and went on to chair the BMC\u2019s Education Committee, where she raised several issues related to infrastructure, civic amenities and public safety. Though she lost the 2017 civic elections, she made a comeback in the latest polls, securing 19,810 votes from her ward.<\/p>\n\n

BJP leaders have underscored the symbolic significance of her election. Ameet Satam said the Mahayuti government is committed to a corruption-free civic administration.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cThe BMC must be freed from corruption that flourished under previous regimes. Ritu Tawde will lead Mumbai on the path of transparent and accountable governance,\u201d Satam said, adding that the alliance had fulfilled its campaign promise of appointing a Marathi and Hindu mayor.<\/p>\n\n

Political Reactions and Opposition Criticism<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

While the ruling alliance celebrated the smooth and uncontested outcome, opposition voices raised objections. The NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) criticised the BJP\u2019s choice, pointing out that Tawde was previously associated with the Congress.<\/p>\n\n

NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto said the decision had demoralised long-time BJP corporators. \u201cBy selecting a former Congress leader as mayor, the BJP has overlooked loyal party workers who have dedicated years of service,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n

BMC: Symbolism and Scale<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Though the mayor\u2019s post in Mumbai is largely ceremonial, it carries immense political and symbolic significance in a city where civic administration and identity politics often intersect. The BMC has been under a state-appointed administrator since March 2022 following the expiry of the previous term.<\/p>\n\n

With a budget of \u20b974,450 crore for 2025\u201326\u2014larger than the budgets of several Indian states\u2014the BMC remains India\u2019s most powerful municipal body.<\/p>\n\n

The mayor\u2019s post was reserved for a woman from the open category following a lottery draw last month. While Tawde and Sion corporator Rajeshree Shirwadkar were considered potential candidates, the Mahayuti kept its decision confidential until the final day, ensuring an uncontested election. No opposition nominations were filed before the February 11 withdrawal deadline.<\/p>\n\n

A New Chapter for Mumbai<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Ritu Tawde\u2019s unopposed election not only signals the BJP\u2019s return to the mayoral office after four decades but also cements the Mahayuti alliance\u2019s firm grip on Mumbai\u2019s civic politics. As the city prepares for a transition after nearly three decades of Shiv Sena dominance, Tawde\u2019s tenure is being closely watched for how effectively symbolic leadership translates into tangible civic outcomes.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cI will work as a servant of Mumbai, not as its ruler,\u201d Tawde reiterated, signalling the tone she intends to set as the city enters a new phase of municipal governance.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ritu Tawde to Take Charge as Mumbai\u2019s 8th Woman Mayor Mumbai | Undercover Editor News Channel, February 10, 2026 Mumbai: BJP corporator Ritu Tawde is poised to assume office as Mumbai\u2019s next mayor after being elected unopposed in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), marking a historic shift in the city\u2019s civic power structure. Her formal election, scheduled for Wednesday at noon, will make her Mumbai\u2019s eighth woman mayor and bring an end to the Shiv Sena\u2019s uninterrupted 25-year control of the mayoral post. Tawde\u2019s elevation also marks the Bharatiya Janata Party\u2019s return to the mayor\u2019s office after more than 40 years\u2014the last BJP mayor in Mumbai being Prabhakar Pai, who served during 1982\u201383. The development reflects the growing dominance of the Mahayuti alliance in the country\u2019s richest civic body. The unopposed victory followed the decision of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) not to field a candidate against Tawde. The move reportedly came after internal deliberations at party chief Uddhav Thackeray\u2019s residence, acknowledging the numerical strength of the ruling alliance in the 227-member corporation. Former mayor and Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar said the decision was taken while respecting Marathi identity and the prevailing political arithmetic in the BMC. Alliance Power Consolidation Under the Mahayuti arrangement, the deputy mayor\u2019s post will go to Sanjay Ghadi of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Ghadi, a corporator from Ward No. 5, will serve a 15-month tenure, after which the position will be rotated to give opportunities to other corporators within the alliance. The mayor\u2019s term will be for two and a half years. Ritu Tawde, 53, filed her nomination at the municipal secretary\u2019s office in the presence of senior Mahayuti leaders, including Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha and BJP Mumbai unit chief Ameet Satam. Speaking to reporters, Tawde struck a humble note, stating that she would function as a \u201csevak of Mumbai\u201d rather than merely occupying a ceremonial post. \u201cMy priority will be the safety, development and quality of life of Mumbai\u2019s citizens. I see this responsibility as service, not power,\u201d she said. Civic Experience and Political Journey A two-time corporator from Ghatkopar East, Tawde was first elected in 2012 and went on to chair the BMC\u2019s Education Committee, where she raised several issues related to infrastructure, civic amenities and public safety. Though she lost the 2017 civic elections, she made a comeback in the latest polls, securing 19,810 votes from her ward. BJP leaders have underscored the symbolic significance of her election. Ameet Satam said the Mahayuti government is committed to a corruption-free civic administration. \u201cThe BMC must be freed from corruption that flourished under previous regimes. Ritu Tawde will lead Mumbai on the path of transparent and accountable governance,\u201d Satam said, adding that the alliance had fulfilled its campaign promise of appointing a Marathi and Hindu mayor. Political Reactions and Opposition Criticism While the ruling alliance celebrated the smooth and uncontested outcome, opposition voices raised objections. The NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) criticised the BJP\u2019s choice, pointing out that Tawde was previously associated with the Congress. NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto said the decision had demoralised long-time BJP corporators. \u201cBy selecting a former Congress leader as mayor, the BJP has overlooked loyal party workers who have dedicated years of service,\u201d he said. BMC: Symbolism and Scale Though the mayor\u2019s post in Mumbai is largely ceremonial, it carries immense political and symbolic significance in a city where civic administration and identity politics often intersect. The BMC has been under a state-appointed administrator since March 2022 following the expiry of the previous term. With a budget of \u20b974,450 crore for 2025\u201326\u2014larger than the budgets of several Indian states\u2014the BMC remains India\u2019s most powerful municipal body. The mayor\u2019s post was reserved for a woman from the open category following a lottery draw last month. While Tawde and Sion corporator Rajeshree Shirwadkar were considered potential candidates, the Mahayuti kept its decision confidential until the final day, ensuring an uncontested election. No opposition nominations were filed before the February 11 withdrawal deadline. A New Chapter for Mumbai Ritu Tawde\u2019s unopposed election not only signals the BJP\u2019s return to the mayoral office after four decades but also cements the Mahayuti alliance\u2019s firm grip on Mumbai\u2019s civic politics. As the city prepares for a transition after nearly three decades of Shiv Sena dominance, Tawde\u2019s tenure is being closely watched for how effectively symbolic leadership translates into tangible civic outcomes. \u201cI will work as a servant of Mumbai, not as its ruler,\u201d Tawde reiterated, signalling the tone she intends to set as the city enters a new phase of municipal governance.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2460,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[560,711,171],"tags":[759,556,157,456,587,790,457,791,557,85],"class_list":["post-2458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-civic-affairs","category-mumbai","category-politics","tag-bjp-first-mayor-mumbai","tag-bjp-mumbai","tag-bmcnews","tag-mahayuti-alliance","tag-mumbai-civic-politics","tag-mumbai-local-news","tag-mumbai-mayor","tag-ritu-tawde","tag-shiv-sena","tag-undercovereditor-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2458"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2463,"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458\/revisions\/2463"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/undercovereditor.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}