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BMC Mayor: BJP’s Alka Kerkar, Rajshree Shirwadkar, Tejasvee Ghosalkar, Ritu Tawde, Yogita Koli, Priti Satam, Sheetal Gambhir are frontrunners for Mumbai civic body’s top post
BMC mayor: The BJP is looking at leaders with experience for the top post in the Mumbai civic body. (PTI File)
BMC Mayor: The Mumbai mayor’s post in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been reserved for a woman candidate from the general (open) category.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (89 seats) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena (29 seats) hold a combined majority of 118 seats in the 227-member house. While the BJP is the largest party, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena has also expressed interest in the post, citing the 100th birth anniversary of founder Bal Thackeray as a symbolic reason for a Sena mayor.
The Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, won 65 seats and has criticised the reservation lottery process as “rigged”. They have urged the Shinde faction to support an opposition candidate as a tribute to Bal Thackeray.
The mayoral election is likely in the first week of February.
As the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, its candidates are currently being seen as frontrunners.
BJP’s criteria
News18 Marathi, citing sources, reported the BJP’s criteria for selection of a candidate for the post of mayor. Of the 89 corporators of the BJP, 49 are women.
The party will consider three main factors while selecting the mayor.
1. The candidate should be originally from the BJP. Therefore, women leaders from other parties will not get a chance.
2. They should have experience in the complex workings and rules of the BMC.
3. It is learnt that the BJP will focus on presenting a ‘Marathi-Hindu’ face with a clean image among the general public and Marathi voters.
Leading contenders from the BJP
Alka Kerkar: A senior BJP leader and four-term corporator from Bandra West (Ward 98). She has extensive experience in civic administration and previously served as the Deputy Mayor of Mumbai.
Rajshree Shirwadkar: A three-term BJP corporator from Sion (Ward 172). She is noted for her grassroots work and former role as a member of the Standing Committee.
Tejasvee Ghosalkar: A former Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator who joined the BJP before the elections and won from Dahisar (Ward 2) by a margin of over 10,000 votes. She is seen as a tactical choice by the Mahayuti alliance.
Ritu Tawde: A two-time BJP corporator from Ghatkopar (Ward 132) who joined the party from Congress in 2012. She is considered a popular Maratha face within the party.
Yogita Sunil Koli: A two-term corporator from Malad who secured a decisive win in a straight contest during the recent polls.
Sheetal Gambhir: A two-term BJP corporator from Ward 190 (Mahim-Dadar), which is traditionally a Shiv Sena stronghold.
Priti Satam: Priti Satam is known as an aggressive leader of BJP. She has extensive experience in municipal work and is known as a loyal party worker. She is a corporator from Goregaon-Dindoshi, a western suburb. BJP has achieved great success from the western suburbs.
January 26, 2026, 19:25 IST
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