​

Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani on Wednesday declared Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Corporator Ritu Tawde as the mayor of Mumbai during the first session of the newly elected 227-member general body of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), held at noon at the civic headquarters. In the same session, Gagrani also declared Shiv Sena corporator Sanjay Ghadi as the Deputy Mayor of Mumbai.

Gagrani, who is serving as the presiding officer of the inaugural session of the new House, announced Tawde’s election after confirming that only one valid nomination had been received for the post.

“As only a single valid registration has been received for the position of Mumbai Mayor, from Ritu Tawde, I declare Ritu Tawde as the Mayor of Mumbai,” Gagrani stated while formally announcing the result.

In the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the BJP formally seated its mayor at the BMC headquarters. Fadnavis and Shinde were seated in the elevated viewing gallery overlooking the well of the House during the proceedings.

BJP Mumbai President Ameet Satam was also present and seated beside Fadnavis and Shinde.

Following the formal declaration, Tawde and Ghadi were congratulated in the well of the House by Fadnavis and Shinde.

With Tawde’s elevation, the BJP assumes leadership of the legislative affairs of India’s richest municipal corporation after 43 years. The last BJP Mayor in Mumbai was Prabhakar Pai in 1983.

Mumbai Mayor Election 2026: CM Fadnavis pledges state government support to Tawde and Ghadi

Speaking to the media on the occasion, Fadnavis said, “BMC was under the leadership of an administrator according to directives of the Supreme Court. However, that is not what Mumbaikars want. The mandate of the people is that an elected representative should be at the helm of affairs of their municipal corporation. Mumbaikars feel a kind of kinship with their elected representatives, who are more approachable. With the election of the Mayor of Mumbai, I am certain we will begin to see this change in the city.”

Fadnavis added that the state government is set to extend full support to the newly elected legislative chief and deputy chief of the BMC as they begin their tenure and work for the city.

The first session of the newly elected general body marks the formal transition from administrator-led governance to an elected civic leadership in Mumbai.