Mumbai: In a major political development for Maharashtra’s capital, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ritu Tawde was sworn in as the new Mayor of Mumbai on Wednesday, February 11. Her appointment signals a historic shift in the city’s civic power structure, bringing an end to the long-standing dominance of the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
With Tawde’s oath-taking, the BJP has returned to the top ceremonial position in India’s richest municipal corporation after more than four decades. The last time a BJP leader held the Mayor’s office in Mumbai was in the early 1980s. The latest change marks a significant milestone for the party in the state’s political landscape.
The BMC, often regarded as the most powerful civic body in the country due to its massive budget and influence over urban governance, had remained under the control of the undivided Shiv Sena for nearly 25 years. Tawde’s elevation reflects a broader political realignment within Maharashtra, where alliances and leadership equations have undergone notable changes in recent years.
