Updated On: 11 February, 2026 02:58 PM IST | Divya Nair
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. PICS/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI

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BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani felicitates Ritu Tawde after she was declared the 78th mayor of Mumbai
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Tawde is a two-time BJP Corporator from Ghatkopar

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Mahayuti corporators raise "Jay Shree Ram", "Jay Shivaji" slogans in the House as Tawde and Ghadi take charge
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Tawde began her first speech as Mumbai Mayor by paying homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar

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CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde felicitate Tawde
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Civic chief Bhushan 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

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CM Fadnavis and Deputy CM Shinde felicitate Ghadi following his unopposed election to the deputy mayor`s post
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In the January 15 civic polls, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 89 seats, followed by Shinde`s Sena with 29. Sena (UBT) won 65, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) six, Congress 24, with the others getting the remaining seats

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After the ceremony, Fadnavis spoke to the media outside the BMC headquarters. "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," he said
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Kishori Pednekar, former Mumbai mayor, felicitates Tawde and deputy Ghadi with other party leaders

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The BMC, with a Rs 74,450 crore budget for 2025-26, has been under a state administrator since March 2022.
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