Following the announcement of the municipal corporation election results in Maharashtra, the countdown for the Mumbai Mayoral election has officially begun. The election for the BMC Mayor is scheduled for February 11 and the nomination process has commenced today on February 6, 2026.

All eyes are now on who will become the next Mayor of Mumbai. Speculation is rife that the BJP might place its bet on a woman candidate, with more than half a dozen names currently doing the rounds.

Seat Distribution And Majority Calculations

The post of Mayor in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been reserved for women in the General Category. In the 227-member house, the majority mark is 114.

The Mahayuti alliance is comfortably placed:

BJP: 89 seats (emerged as the single largest party)

Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde): 29 seats

Total Mahayuti Strength: 118 seats

Additionally, Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 3 seats, though they contested separately from the Mahayuti.

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The Opposition Strength:

Shiv Sena (UBT): 65 seats

MNS (Raj Thackeray): 6 seats

NCP (Sharad Pawar): 1 seat

Congress: 24 seats (contested independently)

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Top Contenders For The Mayoral Post

Several prominent BJP leaders are in the spotlight for the prestigious role:

Tejasvi Ghosalkar: She is the widow of Abhishek Ghosalkar, who was tragically shot in February 2024. Her father-in-law, Vinod Ghosalkar, is a former Shiv Sena MLA. Despite the family’s historical ties to the Thackeray camp, her name is being discussed as a significant contender.

Sheetal Gambhir-Desai: Daughter of former Shiv Sena MLA Suresh Gambhir, Sheetal won from Ward 190 in Mahim-Dadar—a Marathi heartland and a stronghold of Shiv Sena (UBT).

Ritu Tawde: A two-time corporator from Ghatkopper who joined the BJP from Congress in 2012. Representing the Maratha community, she won from the Gujarati-dominated Ward 132.

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Harshita Narwekar: She is the sister-in-law of Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar. The Narwekar family demonstrated significant influence by winning all three seats they contested in the prestigious 'A' Ward of Mumbai.

Alka Kerker: A veteran four-time corporator and former Deputy Mayor of Mumbai, Kerker is known for her strong grassroots network and people skills.

Asha Marathe: A three-time corporator from Ward 152 and District President of the BJP's South Mumbai Women's Wing, bringing extensive experience to the table.

Rajshree Shirwadker: Recognised for her deep understanding of corporation affairs and solid ground-level support.