Mumbai Mayor Election 2026: BJP’s Five Women Leaders in Focus After Mega BMC Victory, Civic Post at Stake

After the BJP-led alliance registered a mega victory in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, the spotlight has firmly shifted to the race for Mumbai’s mayoral post. Along with Mumbai, mayoral elections will be held in 28 other municipal corporations across Maharashtra following last week’s local body polls. A key trend emerging from the results is the rise of women leaders, as several cities are set to get women mayors. The outcome has significantly altered political equations, setting the stage for intense negotiations within ruling parties ahead of the mayoral selections.

With the mayor’s post in Mumbai reserved for a woman from the general category, the BJP has begun internal discussions around five probable candidates — Ritu Tawade, Alka Kerkar, Tejasvi Ghosalkar, Rajshree Shirwadkar, and Sheetal Gambhir. These leaders are being viewed as frontrunners within party circles, especially after the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the BMC. The reservation lottery has reshaped expectations, pushing several senior aspirants out of contention while opening doors for women leaders with organisational strength and electoral credibility.

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In terms of numbers, the BJP secured 89 of the 227 seats in the BMC, while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 29 seats. Together, the alliance comfortably crossed the majority mark of 114 seats. Despite this clear numerical advantage, the final decision on the mayor’s post remains undecided, as both the BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena are keen to stake their claim to Mumbai’s top civic position.

Among the five contenders, Ritu Tawade, 53, has won her second term from Ghatkopar’s Ward 132 and is considered a young Maratha face within the BJP. Alka Kerkar, 73, brings vast experience, having been elected for a fourth term from Ward 98 in Bandra-Khar-Santacruz West and having previously served as deputy mayor. Tejasvi Ghosalkar, 38, made headlines after switching from Shiv Sena (UBT) to the BJP ahead of the polls and securing a landslide win from Dahisar.

Rajshree Shirwadkar is recognised as a seasoned party worker with strong organisational roots, while Sheetal Gambhir is known for her political experience and administrative understanding. As the BJP and its allies also notch up decisive wins in municipal corporations such as Pune, Thane and Nagpur, the focus remains firmly on Mumbai, where the choice of mayor is expected to reflect both electoral strength and strategic balance within the ruling alliance.