Ritu Tawde elected unopposed as Mumbai’s 78th mayor amid Opposition protests
text_fields
BJP’s Ritu Tawde was elected unopposed Tuesday as Mumbai’s 78th mayor, ending four years of administrator rule at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Ghadi named deputy mayor. The session saw slogan-shouting, heated clashes, and walkouts by Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress over BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani presiding.
Tawde, the eighth woman and second BJP mayor since 1931, succeeds the March 2022 dissolution amid delayed Maharashtra polls. In her address, attended by CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, and Mahayuti leaders, she pledged drives against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and promotion of Marathi language and culture.
She announced bolstering BMC’s Marathi department, supporting language and arts initiatives, building a dedicated Marathi film theatre, and renovating all venues like Ravindra Natya Mandir.
Opposition leader Kishori Pednekar protested Gagrani’s role, demanding senior corporators like Shraddha Jadhav preside per tradition. Officials cited a 2022 amendment allowing the commissioner for the first post-administrator meeting. Tensions peaked with BJP’s “Modi” chants countered by “Thackeray” slogans; Shiv Sena (UBT) walked out during Ghadi’s speech, given his shift to Shinde’s faction.