Mumbai is set to see a woman at the helm of its civic administration once again, after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was placed in the Open (Women) category in the mayoral reservation lottery held on Thursday. The decision ensures that the city will have a woman mayor for a second consecutive term, following the tenure of Kishori Pednekar of the undivided Shiv Sena.
The reservation lottery covered 29 municipal corporations that went to the polls last week. Soon after the draw, the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) raised objections, questioning why Mumbai was excluded from the OBC reservation list. The party argued that the decision undermined OBC representation in one of the country’s most influential urban local bodies. The Congress, meanwhile, flagged concerns over the reservation draw for Parbhani, alleging inconsistencies in the allocation process.
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How the reservations were distributed
As per the official notification, of the 29 municipal corporations, one mayoral post has been reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. However, in line with regulatory provisions, no post has been allotted to the ST (Women) category. Three posts have been reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SC), of which two are earmarked for SC (Women). Eight mayoral posts have gone to the OBC category, including four reserved for OBC (Women).
From the remaining 17 corporations, nine mayoral posts have been reserved for the General Category (Women), while the remaining eight posts fall under the Open (General) category. Mumbai’s placement in the Open (Women) segment has made the mayoral race both competitive and politically significant.
Six frontrunners in Mumbai mayoral race
According to The Indian Express, six corporators have emerged as frontrunners for the Mumbai mayoral post, namely, Rajashree Shirvadkar, Sheetal Gambhir, Asha Marathe, Harshita Narwekar, Ritu Tawde and Alka Kerkar.
Alka Kerkar: Among the names doing the rounds, Alka Kerkar is widely seen as a strong contender. A senior BJP leader, Kerkar has been elected as a corporator for four consecutive terms and has previously served as Deputy Mayor of Mumbai. Her long experience in civic administration and deep organisational links within the BJP have kept her at the centre of speculation.
Rajashree Shirvadkar: She is being projected by her supporters as a leader with strong grassroots connections. Known for her active participation in civic matters and local problem-solving, Shirvadkar is seen as someone who can build consensus across party lines. Her backers argue that in a fragmented political environment, such outreach skills could be critical for a mayor who must navigate both administrative and political pressures.
Sheetal Gambhir: Daughter of former Shiv Sena MLA Suresh Gambhir, Sheetal Gambhir-Desai has drawn attention after winning her second term from Ward 190. She defeated Vaishali Patankar of the Thackeray faction by 125 votes. Notably, in the Mahim-Dadar belt, considered a Shiv Sena bastion, Gambhir is currently the BJP’s only corporator, a factor that has boosted her profile within the party.
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Other contenders
Asha Marathe is a three-time corporator from Ward 152. She is the district president of the South Mumbai Women’s Wing of the BJP, giving her both organisational visibility and electoral experience.
Harshita Narwekar, a former corporator from Colaba, comes from a prominent political family and is related to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar. She is also being considered as one of frontrunners in the mayoral race.
Ritu Tawde, a two-time corporator from Ghatkopar who joined the BJP from the Congress in 2012, rounds out the list of serious contenders. |
