BMC House Reconvenes After Four-Year Hiatus, Set to Elect New Mayor
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) House is set to reconvene on Wednesday after a significant four-year gap, with 227 newly elected corporators assembling at the civic headquarters. This marks the first meeting of the newly elected House, which will be presided over by the BMC commissioner. The tenure of the previous corporators had concluded back in 2022, leading to an extended period of administrator rule in India's largest municipal body.
Mayoral Election Process and Nominations
The meeting will commence with the formal presentation of the list of the 227 corporators, followed by the opening of nomination papers for the prestigious post of mayor. On February 7, the ruling Mahayuti alliance announced its candidates, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominating Ritu Tawde for the mayor's position. Concurrently, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has named Sanjay Ghadi for the deputy mayor's role.
Notably, the Opposition has decided not to field any candidate for the mayor's post. Former mayor and Shiv Sena UBT corporator Kishori Pednekar emphasized that the party would focus on functioning as "a strong and united Opposition" in the civic body.
Ritu Tawde: Set to Make History
With no Opposition candidates in contention, the presiding officer is expected to formally declare the Mahayuti nominee as mayor on Wednesday. The deputy mayor will also be declared elected unopposed. This development positions Ritu Tawde to assume office, making her the BJP's first mayor in Mumbai after nearly four decades.
For the next two-and-a-half years, Tawde will serve as the city's first citizen and will become Mumbai's eighth woman mayor. A two-term corporator, Tawde began her political career in the Congress before joining the BJP in 2012. She has represented the Ghatkopar belt and has previously served as chairperson of the Education Committee and vice chairperson of the Works Committee within the civic body.
Deputy Mayor Candidate and Political Backgrounds
Sanjay Ghadi, the deputy mayor nominee, began his political journey in 1988 and later served as president of the Mumbai University Students' Council. He initially joined the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in 2007 before returning to the Shiv Sena and winning the 2017 civic election. Following the Sena split in 2022, Ghadi was among those who led protests against Eknath Shinde but subsequently joined the Shinde-led faction of the party.
End of Administrator Rule and Future Proceedings
The election of the mayor will formally conclude the administrator rule in the BMC, which had persisted for 47 months. Ahead of Wednesday's crucial meeting, Shiv Sena UBT leaders Kishori Pednekar and Sunil Prabhu inspected the party office at the BMC headquarters on Tuesday as they took charge of the space allotted to them.
Following the general meeting on February 11, elections for the post of standing committee chairperson are anticipated to be held on February 20. Additionally, after the mayor's election, 10 nominated members will be appointed to the civic council. Of these, four will be nominated by the BJP, three by the Shiv Sena UBT, and one each by the Congress, AIMIM, and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
This reconvening of the BMC House signifies a pivotal moment in Mumbai's civic governance, restoring elected representation after a prolonged hiatus and setting the stage for new leadership under Mayor Ritu Tawde.
