Mumbai: The battle for Mumbai’s most powerful civic position has reached a decisive phase after the state Urban Development Department on Thursday announced that the Mayor’s post will be reserved for a “General Woman” category. The decision was made through a lottery held at Mantralaya, clearing the way for the final mayoral election later this month.
The reservation draw, a mandatory constitutional process, has reshaped political calculations across parties following the January 15 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections. With the category now fixed, only women corporators from the open category will be eligible to contest for the coveted post of Mumbai’s ‘First Citizen’.
The announcement comes amid a major political shift in the country’s richest civic body. For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray no longer controls the BMC. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, secured 29 seats. Together, the ruling Mahayuti alliance holds 118 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 114 in the 227-member house.
On the opposition benches, Shiv Sena (UBT) won 65 seats, the MNS secured six, and the Congress managed 24 seats. Smaller parties, including AIMIM and others, collectively account for 14 corporators.
With the Mayor’s post now reserved for a General Woman, intense discussions have reportedly begun within the ruling alliance. Sources suggest that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are deliberating whether the BJP should stake claim to the post or allow the Shinde Sena to nominate the Mayor for the first half of the five-year term.
Meanwhile, the opposition is keeping its options open. Addressing newly elected corporators, Uddhav Thackeray signalled resistance, asserting that Mumbai’s electorate would not forget what he described as a betrayal of the city’s legacy, hinting at possible political manoeuvres ahead.
The Municipal Commissioner is expected to issue a formal notification shortly, after which nominations will be filed. The mayoral election is scheduled for January 28, when corporators will vote through a show of hands at the BMC headquarters. As alliances tighten and candidates emerge, Mumbai is set for another high-voltage political showdown.
